Roommates
by Sebastian0001
Summary: When Maya convinces Phoenix to attend the California Legal Convention, he books them a hotel room to themselves for the week. At least, he THOUGHT he booked them a room to themselves. It turns out, they'll be sharing a room with a pair of pesky prosecutors! Rooming with Miles Edgeworth and Franziska von Karma, will Phoenix make it out alive? Could he even find love in the process?
1. Roommates

**Okay, here goes my first fan fic published in the AA fandom! Woo hoo! Standard disclaimer applies, I am super excited to be posting this, and I REALLY hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"Absolutely not."

"This is completely absurd! You can't actually expect all four of us to share a room!"

"I'm sorry, sir, ma'am, but with the convention right next door, this hotel is booked! We can't make any other accommodations."

"Hey, Nick, maybe this won't be so bad! It could be fun, like a sleepover!"

"I'm not sure I'd want to have a sleepover with THESE two, Maya..."

For Phoenix Wright, it was a GREAT start to the 2018 California Legal Convention. He hadn't even checked into the hotel yet, and he was already having problems. Here's the story:

When Wright's bubbly assistant, Maya Fey, read that there was a "super huge lawyer-thingie in L.A.," she demanded that he take her there for the week. Phoenix, unable to say no to her, booked a room for the two of them in the Gatewater hotel next to the convention center. At least, he THOUGHT he had booked a room for the two of them. However, upon arriving at the front desk, he was informed that somehow, they had ended up with two additional roommates.

"This is illegal! You can't just force people to share rooms! Is this how the Gatewater treats its customers!?"

"Well, ma'am, if you don't want your room, then there's a waiting list a mile long, full of people who would love it. You know, all the hotels in the area are also full."

Now, if someone had asked Phoenix Wright if he would rather share a room with two strangers or two of his acquaintances, he would have replied that it would depend on who the people he knew were. If he had known that the latter option meant rooming with Miles Edgeworth and Franziska von Karma, he would have chosen the strangers in a heartbeat. Unfortunately for him, he was never given the choice.

The aforementioned pair of prosecutors were currently interrogating the poor hotel employee manning the front desk, attempting to change their situation, but to no avail. Eventually, they gave up and left, vowing to file complaints and charges against the hotel later. And thus the painful trek to the elevator began.

"Please excuse me, Wright," Edgeworth apologetically began as the four roommates tromped down the hallway, luggage in tow. "I have no personal objection to rooming with you and Ms. Fey, I would just prefer to be alone."

"I, on the other hand, do have a personal objection to rooming with you fools," a grumpy Franziska followed, "and you as well, Miles Edgeworth!"

Attempting to change the subject, Maya budded in, "What room are we in, anyways?"

"Three-twelve," Edgeworth replied, "and thank goodness for that. If I had to climb more than three flights of stairs with this suitcase..."

"Or you could just take the elevator like a man," Franziska smirked.

Wright scowled fiercely, suddenly serious. "You have absolutely no right to tease him about that, Von Karma!"

Edgeworth merely shook his head. "Wright, please. I don't need your defense, at least, not this time." With that, he flagged down a hotel employee, and confidently questioned, "Excuse me, where are the stairs?"

The worker blinked, before answering, "Oh, I'm sorry, sir, but the stairs are currently being repainted, and are out of use. However, the elevator is on your right."

The prosecutor suddenly paled. He clearing his throat softly, before calmly confirming, "WHAAAAAAT!?"

"Sorry, sir! It'll be fixed by next week."

"I won't be here next week!" he sputtered. "This has to be some sort of misunderstanding. Isn't it a fire hazard to not have stairs?"

"Um, that is, uh, somewhat true, yes, sir, but all I know is that they will be, uh painting the stairs until next week. 'Til then, there's nothing I can do," the employee squeaked, before scurrying away from the fuming prosecutor.

"That settles it," Edgeworth grunted, "I am definitely suing this place."

"No need to look so glum," Franziska chided, amused. Edgeworth already appeared nauseous. "Let's just get going, it'll be over before you know it."

With that, the four crammed into the elevator. As the door closed, the prosecutor gulped, and the sickeningly sweet elevator music began. Phoenix raised an eyebrow at the other man.

"Edgeworth, I swear, if you throw up on me-"

"I wasn't planning on it, Wright, thank you very much!"

"NICK! That's no way to treat your friend!"

The defense attorney sighed, "You're right, sorry, I'm just nervous. You know I can't afford another suit like this."

"Teasing the sick? How cruel of you, Phoenix Wright, you foolish fool!" Franziska sneered.

"Hypocrite!"

*CRACK*

Maya started aimlessly humming along with the elevator tune, a variation of Pachelbel's Canon that might has well have been Beethoven's Fifth. As the elevator jerked its way slowly up the rusty track, Edgeworth gripped the handrail tightly. Meanwhile, Phoenix Wright could only cross his arms. Yep. This trip had been a fantastic idea. He reminded himself never to say yes to Maya again, and prayed to any god up there that he make in through the week alive, rooming with a cold-hearted stoic, a whip-happy sadist, and a loveable glutton. Somehow, yet again, the attorney had gotten caught up in some seemingly impossible situation.

He just hoped that this one wouldn't end with a murder.

* * *

 **Well, that's chapter one! I hope you liked it. The other chapters will be a bit longer, I think, and I'll try to post about once a week. See you next chapter!**


	2. Dare or Dare

**Just because chapter 1's so short, I thought I'd post chapter 2, as well. Things should be picking up a little more soon, so please keep reading!**

* * *

When the ride ended approximately three minutes later, everyone was eager to rush out into the hallway and race to the open, more spacious room. They rushed down the hallway, fumbling with the electronic keys, and excitedly burst open the hotel room door, only to pause once more.

"You have GOT to be kidding me."

This line seemed to summarize the feelings of all three attorneys as they squeezed into their hotel room, only to find very little floor space and a simple pair of queen-sized beds.

Franziska would have none of this. "What do you mean, there are only two beds!?" she screeched. "What!? WHAT!?" The frazzled German fumed, beginning to whip everything in sight.

"Let's take this bed, Wright, and let the girls have the far one," a queasy Edgeworth decided, placing his baggage onto the closest mattress.

Although they shouldn't have, the sudden arrangements flustered Phoenix. "You want to share a bed with me? Geez, Edgeworth, I had my doubts about you before, but this is taking things a bit far, no?"

"This has nothing to do with that," he snapped, "Wright, use your mind before your mouth, for god's sake! If you aren't sharing a bed with me, then you'd either have to sleep with Ms. Fey, or-"

*CRACK* "Don't even THINK about it, FOOL." Franziska crossed her arms, her sharp eyes glaring into Phoenix's. Clearly, that sort of sleeping arrangement would be entirely out of the question. She had already stormed over to her bed and thrown down her luggage in a fit of anger.

A blanket silence filled the room, as everyone was on edge and wanted to avoid irritating the others. Each person began to diligently unpack, until everything was unloaded. Phoenix was the last to finish, turning around to find Maya flipping through the room service menu, Franziska sprawled out on her bed, playing with her whip, and Edgeworth attempting a newspaper crossword puzzle from an uncomfortable-looking chair. The defense attorney cleared his throat, about to suggest a sort of truce between the four of them, when suddenly someone spoke:

"Well, my afternoon plans are ruined," Edgeworth sighed, his somewhat snappy tone breaking the silence. "The convention center doesn't open until five this evening, and I was hoping to have some alone time."

Maya threw down her menu and turned to him, offering, "Well, how about we take advantage of the fact that we're all together? We could play a game, to break the ice!"

Phoenix groaned, "Maya, I really don't feel like playing a game right now…"

"Do you have a better way to pass the time, Phoenix Wright?" Franziska grumbled, trying to hide her eagerness to do something other than drown in boredom.

After a mumbled denial, Maya jumped up, her eyes gleaming "Come on, Nick! Let's play… truth or dare!" There was a pause, before Edgeworth replied, "I don't see why not."

"What is this 'truth or dare'?" Franziska pondered. "One of your foolish American games?"

Maya nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, sort of! Essentially, we all take turns asking each other if they want truth or dare. If they say truth, then they have to honestly answer a question of your choosing. If they choose dare, they have to do something of your choice!"

The German simply scoffed. "A childish game. Truth or dare… what a foolish question! I mean, why on earth would anyone ever choose dare? Telling the truth is much easier, not to mention less risky."

"Then how about we add a twist to our game?" Phoenix suggested. "How about we make a rule that everyone has to choose dare?"

"Well, if that's the rule, then there's no point in even asking the question," Edgeworth pointed out, taking out a legal pad from his briefcase. "How about this: all four of us write down a dare on a slip of paper, and then we each pick one at random and complete it?"

Maya squealed, "YEAH! That's a great idea!" She proceeded to nudge Phoenix, muttering, "Remind me to invite Edgeworth to our next game night."

Franziska sat up, considering this new option. "I suppose… I would be willing to play this version of the game. It's not like I have anything else to do, anyways."

"Great!" Maya continued, enthusiastically snatching a piece of paper. "Let's get started, then!"

And so they did. Each person ripped off a piece of paper, thought for a moment, and began to write. Within a few minutes, everyone had finished. "I'll go first," Edgeworth began, reaching into the small, shuffled pile of dares before finally selecting one.

* * *

Edgeworth sighed as he skimmed his dare. "Well, it looks like I got my own." The other three looked at him anxiously, as he proclaimed, "Write a love poem about the person on your right, then read it aloud."

Edgeworth had honestly hoped that Maya would get this dare. For quite a while now, he had suspected that she had a thing for Wright, and this would be the perfect opportunity for her to profess her true feelings for him without being teased or chastised.

It also would have been amusing to see Wright attempt to write a love poem describing Franziska. Edgeworth could easily picture her scowling face as the poor, blushing defense attorney recited mangled lines of improvised poetry. And, if Franziska had picked this dare, and had to write a love poem about Edgeworth himself... It might have been nice, he supposed. He wondered what she would even say about him.

Regardless, Edgeworth never would have guessed that he would be the one writing a poem. Maya Fey was an easy enough subject; after all, she was a good friend and a beautiful young lady. With a grin, Edgeworth picked up a pencil and a legal pad and began writing vigorously, occasionally glancing up from his work to observe his subject. Maya fidgeted uncomfortably and blushed.

"And with that, I'm finished," he announced a few minutes later. "Already!?" Phoenix gaped. The man's rival smirked, remarking "Watch and learn, Wright," before turning to stare passionately at Maya. "Ms. Fey," he grinned, taking her hand and speaking in his sexiest voice:

"Master of the Kurain and master of my heart,

Her face ten times more stunning than a thousand works of art,

Her eyes like dazzling diamonds, her hair cascades of silk,

Her lips as red as roses and her skin as fair as milk,

Her snazzy sense of humor makes people laugh out loud,

Her cheerful personality can brighten any crowd,

Her smile soothes my soul, her sweet voice makes my day,

Be mine my lovely angel, please love me Maya Fey."

Maya's eyes went wide as her cheeks flushed a deep red. "Gosh, Edgeworth, I had no idea you..." Suddenly, she snatched the legal pad from his lap and tore off the page with the poem. With a gasp, Edgeworth quickly reached to retrieve the notepad, but not before Maya exclaimed, "WOW! What an awesome poem! Thanks so much! I'm gonna keep this forever. Here Nick, hold on to this, will you? We can frame it when we get home." Wright, who was utterly shocked and obviously flustered, kept looking speechlessly from Edgeworth to Maya to the paper in his hand.

"It wasn't that great of a poem." Franziska's comment was snide, but suspiciously quiet. She was almost pouting, her back turned to Edgeworth. He grinned in reply. "I know this was not my best writing, Franziska, but you could cut me some slack, considering it was spontaneously composed. Regardless, are you alright? You're usually so happy when insulting me, but now you just seem grumpy." "I'm fine, fool! Anyways, it's your turn, Ms. Fey."

With a sigh, Miles Edgeworth glanced down at the legal pad on his lap. Now that the first page was gone, his second poem was fully exposed. He tugged that sheet of paper out of its place and folded it. Placing the second poem in his pocket, Edgeworth glanced at Franziska once more and recited it in his head.

While I may write for others, don't be fooled by that deceit,

Your hostile beauty alone can truly get my heart to beat,

I love your strong ambitions, I love your gentle sighs,

I love the gleaming passion ever streaming from your eyes,

My lovely bellatrix, flawless fiend, my eternally thorned rose,

Each mistake only makes you seem more perfect, I suppose,

I'll love you till the end of time, it's just so plain to see,

that Franziska von Karma, you're the only one for me


	3. Out of Key

**Hello, and welcome to week 2! I can't express how incredibly happy I am that a few people have already favorited, followed, or reviewed this fic! Honestly, I didn't think anyone would even bother to read it, but it's fantastic that y'all are enjoying it. Now, on to chapter 3:**

* * *

"My turn!" Maya beamed, snatching one of the three remaining slips of paper. "I hope I don't pick my own dare, though. That would be no fun." Edgeworth raised an eyebrow, wondering exactly what Maya's dare was, as she opened up her chosen paper. She read it once, then read it again, before dully stating, "Punch Phoenix Wright in the face."

Everyone froze for a few awkwardly silent seconds, before Phoenix managed, "Wait, what!?"

Maya just shrugged. "Well, a dare's a dare, I guess." Franziska snickered, as Phoenix nervously stuttered, "Uh, Maya, you're not actually gonna-"

*FWOOOM* Without further notice, Maya walloped Phoenix right in the nose. "OOOW! What the HECK!?" was the outraged response, as the punched attorney gripped his now red face.

"You... Really didn't hold back, did you, Ms. Fey?" Edgeworth pondered, before snapping out of his bewilderment and frowning disappointedly. "That wasn't very nice, Franziska." The female prosecutor shook her head with a grin. "I don't strive to be nice, Miles. I simply chose a dare that I thought would provide some entertainment."

"Do you really find my pain that amusing?" Phoenix squeaked. She taunted, "In all honesty: yes."

"You people are sick. Anyway, I think it's my turn next." Phoenix released his nose to select one of the two remaining dares in the pile. Upon opening it, he groaned. "Great. This is Maya's handwriting."

"YES! Go on, read it, read it!" Maya was bouncing up and down as Phoenix announced, "Buy room service for everyone in the room... Like, with my own money?"

Maya rolled her eyes. "Duh! Who do you think's gonna pay, me? Anyway, I've been starving since lunch! I'll take a cheeseburger with extra fries." Edgeworth tapped his finger on his arm, then admitted, "Some Earl Grey tea would be nice about now..." "I'd appreciate some scones," Franziska chimed in.

"UGH, why me?" Phoenix groaned again, then placed everybody's orders via the hotel phone to fulfill his dare. After sitting back down, Phoenix narrowed his eyes at the two prosecutors and muttered, " You two had BETTER pay me back sometime."

After the two gave him some form of assurance, Phoenix softly smiled. "I guess my dare is the only one left. I suppose it's yours, Ms. von Karma." Franziska scowled in response, then picked up the remaining slip of paper. After skimming it, she whispered, "What foolery is this?"

"What does it say?" she was prompted, before she read aloud, "Confess something that you like about everyone in the room." Edgeworth began uncontrollably laughing, claiming, "I think this was the best possible dare for Franziska."

"S-shut up, fool!" she exclaimed, blushing. It was clear that the woman had become quite uncomfortable with her current situation. As things died down, she looked towards Maya and stuttered, "M-Maya Fey... I admire your personal strength and emotional stability. You've been through a lot, but you still manage to maintain a cheery and optimistic attitude. I'm amazed by that."

Maya's eyes softened, soothed by the genuine praise. "Really? You're so strong yourself, I never thought you'd think much of it." Franziska shook her head. "No, Maya... I'm not strong. Quite the opposite, actually." The girl half-smiled. "You could've fooled me."

"Th-thank you, I suppose." Franziska hastily moved on, hoping to avoid a personal connection. Next was Phoenix Wright. Franziska scowled, then began, "Wright, you're one of the most foolish fools I've ever met... But... I guess your strong determination is a nice trait. When you start fighting for something, you never want to give up. That makes you an incredibly loyal friend and an invaluable ally." Wright grinned merrily. "Thank you! I pride myself on my persistence." Prosecutor von Karma crossed her arms. "Yes... It also makes you quite a pesky court rival, to be honest."

"I second that," Edgeworth grimly started, slightly smiling himself. Franziska turned her attention to him. "Miles..."

"...Yes?" he prompted. She quickly turned away to hide her blush. "I-I have nothing to say to you, Miles Edgeworth!" Maya pouted, "Aw, you have to! The dare said 'everyone in the room'!" Under her breath, Franziska muttered, "I suppose Miles is fairly good-looking..."

" What was that?" Edgeworth asked. She sharply turned her head and gave him a thin-lipped smile. "I said, 'Your prosecuting skills are above average.' There, are you satisfied?" He grinned. "I'll take it."

"Good. Now this stupid dare is over-" "Not quite, Franziska," Miles smirked. "What now!?" she moaned.

"Well, the paper said 'everybody in the room', and there's still one person. You, Franziska. What do you have to say about yourself?" Franziska looked even more concerned and confused than she did before. "I don't know. I don't know how to compliment myself..."

"Then would you like me to?"

"...Miles?"

The prosecutor looked her straight in the eye and stated, "You're a gorgeous, intelligent, powerful woman, Franziska. Don't try and convince yourself otherwise, because you're such a great debater you'd believe your own lies." Franziska von Karma sat there, stunned and speechless. She could hear the empty sound of her own heart beating, and tried to regain her composure as much as possible.

Maya cat-called. "Man, Edgeworth is just roping in all the ladies today! You're one smooth talker, you know?" He just laughed it off. "I simply speak the truth, nothing more." "See? There you go again! How are you still single!?" Phoenix quickly changed the subject, "Alright, the room service should be here soon, so let's get ready for that!" Maya was easily distracted. "YAY, FOOOOOOD!"

Sure enough, the doorbell rang almost instantly afterwards. The spirit medium nearly tackled the bellboy, eager to get her post-lunch meal. As she began chowing down, and the prosecutors set up their own little tea time, Phoenix directed his attention towards the Legal Convention brochure he had printed out earlier. "So the prosecutors and defense attorneys attend different seminars at the Convention, right?"

Edgeworth nodded, "Yes, why do you ask?"

"Well, the thing is, we only have two room keys between the four of us. I was wondering how you all wanted to divvy it up."

Maya shrugged, "Well, I'll just be following you around, Nick, so as long as one of us has a key, I'm fine."

Franziska bit into a scone, concerned with the implications of that suggestion. Edgeworth took a sip of his tea, before surmising, "I suppose that means Franziska and I will share a key. That shouldn't be an issue."

"What foolishness," the German pouted, "I should be able to get into my hotel room without your assistance, Miles Edgeworth!"

He merely smirked, "Funny, I don't remember saying that I would hold on to the key. If you hate the idea of depending on me that much, you can have it." He tossed her the key in question, which she hastily caught and pocketed. Suddenly feeling childish, the woman muttered a quick thank you.

The other prosecutor continued, "I'll wait for you at the end of the day to come back here. What's your last session?"

"The Most Decisive Evidence, a seminar taught by Judge Albert Ritcher."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't he one of your father's friends?"

Flinching, Franziska stated, "He is a renowned German judge, that is all. Anyway, Wright and Ms. Fey should be finished before I am. If you come here and knock on the door, you can probably get in without waiting for me."

Setting down his teacup, Miles Edgeworth replied, "No, I'll probably wait with you, regardless. It'll be dark by the time that seminar's over, and even though the hotel's right next door, I don't want you to go alone."

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much!" she roared. "I am a fully grown adult, and I don't need your protection."

"It's settled then," Edgeworth proclaimed, rising from his seat. "I'll see you tonight."

Franziska reached for her whip, but he was out the door before she got hold of it. Still frazzled, she settled for whipping Phoenix Wright instead, before storming over towards the convention center.

"Well," Maya stated, "this will be interesting."

"Tell me about," Phoenix yelped, rubbing his still red nose, "At this point, I'm just hoping I'll make it out alive!"

The medium twisted her face, slightly annoyed. "Y'know, Nick, I was kinda looking forward to spending a week alone with you. I guess that's more or less out of the question, now."

"Hey, you were supposed to be the one who was okay with these arrangements! Weren't you all, "let's have fun and make the most of it" a few hours ago?"

Grinning, the girl leaned toward him. "It'll still be fun, I hope, I'm just saying it would be nice to spend some one-on-one time with you!"

Shaking his head, the attorney answered, "Maya, we're alone together all the time. We're literally alone right now!"

"I know but it's... different. Can't we do something more..."

Romantic, her mind finished, but Maya couldn't say it aloud. She tried to think of a better word, of something that would let him know that she could be something other than a friend or an assistant to him, but she didn't quite know how to express it.

"Something more what?"

"Never mind. C'mon, let's go to the Convention Center. It'll be starting soon."

"But you haven't even finished your burger!"

"I'm not hungry anymore. Let's just go."

Phoenix narrowed his eyes, standing up and following wordlessly. There was something fishy about this situation, something he couldn't place his finger on. I mean, Maya, not hungry? Impossible. She must've just decided that she didn't want to be there with him anymore. Maybe she was trying to pull some reverse psychology when she said she wanted to hang out with him, and she really wanted him to leave her alone. Perhaps she really just wanted to be with Edgeworth. Wait, where did THAT thought come from!?

Although Phoenix Wright couldn't explain why the thought popped into his head, nor why it bugged him so much, he instantly knew that he completely loathed the idea of Maya alone with Edgeworth. There was something about the love poem and the game night invitation that rubbed him all the wrong ways, yet he couldn't explain why.

All he knew was that he was sure to feel this strange new emotion again, and when he did, the results wouldn't be pretty.

* * *

 **To be continued next weekend...**


	4. Bedtime

**And we're back! Another week gone by, another chapter about our quartet of roommates! Thanks for reading, as always, and here we go:**

* * *

It was 11 pm when the final seminar let out at the Convention. The sky was an inky black, speckled with stars, and when the final light went out, the rushing silhouette of a familiar whip-wielding woman fled from the meeting room. Franziska von Karma exited the building promptly, eager to get back to her hotel after a long day, but in her rush failed to notice the dashing young man coming around the corner. With a sudden smack, the prosecutor rammed straight into the wine-colored suit of none other than Miles Edgeworth.

The man stumbled back, a bit startled, but he didn't fall down. Instead, he took up Franziska's momentum, hugging her in his arms, gently lifting her up.

"Fool," she grunted, wriggling out of his arms, then brushing out invisible wrinkles in her skirt.

Edgeworth smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm the fool? I don't believe I was the one racing down the hallway in the dark of night."

"Hmph." She tugged on her whip, musing, "And I don't believe I told you to come pick me up, and yet here you are."

"No need to be so snide, Franziska." He offered her his arm, ready to escort her to the hotel like a true gentleman. "After all, I am allowed to care about your well-being, aren't I?"

"I suppose that's true," she hesitantly admitted, if only so she could slip her arm into his and feel his warmth once more. "But don't make a habit of this. Tomorrow, I'm walking back to the hotel by myself."

"Sure," he mocked, as she gave him the whipping he'd deserved.

The two entered the hotel and ascended the elevator together, a treacherous trip during which Edgeworth somehow managed to survive without feeling nauseated. Perhaps that was simply because he was too focused on Franziska, studying her lovely features up close. Noticing his staring, the woman remarked a snarky "What?"

"Nothing," he responded, looking down. "I was just..."

*ding*

The elevator let out on the third floor. The man didn't bother to finish his sentence, just slipped out the door without a word. Franziska didn't seem to mind. He lead her up to the door, which she quickly unlocked, and entered room with a sigh.

* * *

"Wright, Ms. Fey, we're back."

"Oh, hey Edgeworth!" Maya cheered, flicking off the television from her bed. She had already changed into her pajamas: a long-sleeved flannel set, colored a light purple, adorned with designs from the Steel Samurai. "I'm glad you're back!"

"Yeah, now we can finally get to sleep," Phoenix yawned, rising from his seat to put away a case file. He had dressed himself in a basic blank tee-shirt and plaid pants. "I suppose you guys'll have to get ready, first."

"I'll start in the bathroom, then," Edgeworth offered, gathering his own nightwear and exiting the room. Once he was gone, Franziska turned to Maya with a suspicious and deadly glance. Nervous, the spirit medium offered, "Uh, can I help you, Ms. von Karma?"

The German paused, crossing her arms. "Call me Franziska," she started slowly, "I was just wondering what your relationship with Miles is."

"Edgeworth?" she questioned, "Uh, well, he accused me of murder one time."

"What prosecutor hasn't?" Phoenix scoffed, causing Maya to roll her eyes.

Franziska was not amused. Crossing her arms, she clarified, "I meant, is he your... friend?"

Phoenix sat up slowly in his chair, waiting for the answer. Maya cautiously replied, "Yes, I suppose he's my friend... just like you are?"

The prosecutor puzzled, "You consider me to be your friend!?"

"Maya makes friends with everyone, it's just her personality," Phoenix offered, relaxing.

"It's true," Edgeworth added, emerging from the bathroom, clad in casual magenta pajamas, "Ms. Fey does seem to have a natural affinity for people; it's one of the traits that makes her so pleasant."

Franziska scoffed at the other prosecutor, snatching some clothes from her suitcase and stormily brushing past him into the bathroom.

After briefly glancing back toward the door, Edgeworth followed, "So, what were you all talking about?"

"Oh," Maya sighed, "Just girl stuff."

Raising an eyebrow at Wright, Edgeworth echoed, "Just girl stuff, huh?"

"It was just Maya and von Karma, I had nothing to do with it," he defended.

"Sure you didn't," Maya laughed, reaching for her hairbrush. She proceeded to comb the entire length of her endless flow of hair, mesmerizing both men in the room.

For Maya was gorgeous, her silky raven hair cascading over her shoulders, contrasting with the cheery violet of her nightclothes. The hotel's dull lighting enhanced the slight glow in her flawless pale skin, and with each brushstroke, her slender shoulders shimmied and twirled. Her sweet voice aimlessly hummed, lost in thought, as Phoenix wondered how he never noticed that Maya was so beautiful.

Then, Franziska emerged.

Although her skin was almost equally pale, it appeared a natural bronze against her light outfit: a lacy, low-cut blouse top and matching skimpy shorts. Her crystalline eyes turned towards the boy's bed as she brushed a stray strand of silky hair from her cheek. She could feel their eyes running up her bare legs, slipping across her exposed collar bone, lingering around her curved hips. Her cheeks stained with a blush as she tugged down on her top, attempting to further cover her firm thighs, only to reveal an unseemly amount of her plentiful chest. Now completely embarrassed, Franziska hastily approached her bed, only to have both men's eyes follow her every move, which incredibly annoyed both women present.

"Could you fools have some shame!?" the female prosecutor scolded, her face reddening further. "I was expecting to be alone, alright? I didn't want anyone to see me like this." Meanwhile, Maya adjusted her posture to block their view, hoping to direct attention back to her, but to no avail.

"Apologies, Franziska, I didn't mean to stare," Edgeworth hastily replied, distracting himself with other tasks.

"I'm sorry, I was just surprised, that's all," Wright aloofly followed. "I didn't think you'd sleep in, uh, that type of clothing."

"Well, what did you expect!? A tuxedo?" she snapped, before hurling the covers over her shoulder and declaring, "I'm going to sleep."

"Same," Maya echoed with equal annoyance, tossing her hairbrush down and climbing into bed. "Goodnight, Nick, Edgeworth, and please turn the lights off when you're done."

With the girls down, Phoenix turned to Edgeworth with a confused look and mouthed, "What did I do?"

The prosecutor rolled his eyes, then vehemently formed the words, "Never look at Franziska that way again."

The ace attorney simply raised his hands defensively, slipping into bed and rolling over, leaving Edgeworth to wonder exactly who he was trying to help with that last comment; was it really just for Phoenix, or perhaps Maya? It could've be for Franziska's sake, or maybe even… his own?

Frustrated, Miles Edgeworth flicked off the lights, then weaseled his way into the snug hotel bed. He realized that this would be the first night in his life that he shared a bed with someone else. Regardless, after a long day like this, he wasn't bothered by the fact, just eager to get some sleep that wasn't coming.

And so the first night began.

* * *

 **...Which brings us to a night chapter! Stay tuned later this weekend for the next installment!**


	5. Night 1

**Welcome to the first Night Chapter! This should be fun, because as we all know... Everything's more interesting at night! (*Shimmies shoulders suggestively*) ...Oh, wait, this is a T-rated fan fic, isn't it? Sorry. (*Shimmies shoulders in reverse, as to undo the suggestive mood*) A-hem. Now that THAT's settled:**

 **I've decided to take a more interesting approach to writing night chapters, using only dialogue and nothing more. After all, the hotel room is pitch black, so the characters are mostly depending on their hearing. This writing style leaves a few points open to reader interpretation, so imagine what you will. In other news, this chapter is broken up into three smaller chunks. Anyway, I hope you like it!**

* * *

*KraaaaaawwwSHOOOO*

"My God..."

*KraaaaaawwwSHOOOOOOOOO*

"Why must Wright snore so ridiculously loud!?"

*KRAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWSHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*

"That's it. I can't sleep like this. Is anyone else awake?"

"Of course we're awake, fool. You've been complaining non-stop ever since Wright fell asleep."

"It's okay, Mr. Edgeworth. You'll get used to the snoring eventually."

*KraaaaaawwwSHOOOO*

"If you don't mind the noise that much, Maya, why don't we switch beds? You sleep with Wright, and I'll be with-"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT."

"Franziska, please... I know it's not ideal, but for the sake of my sleep..."

"I'd be willing to switch, Edgeworth. That is, if Ms. von Karma will agree."

*Kraaaaaaww*

"...Alright. Fine, go ahead. But you had better not touch me, Miles Edgeworth!"

"Of course I won't."

"It's settled then! Okay... Wow, his snoring really is louder over here. Oh, Nick..."

"Well, good night everyone."

"Good night!"

"Night."

*KraaaawwwSHOO*

* * *

"GYAAAAAH!"

"Relax, Miles, it was just a dream."

"Franziska... Did I wake you?"

"Well, it's hard not to wake up when your bedmate is wildly flailing about and screaming. Nightmares?"

"Something like that, yes. I'm used to it, though."

"Good Lord, Miles, you're drenched in sweat! Here, take your shirt off..."

"Um, thank you. I'm sorry I troubled you... Franziska?"

"…Yes?"

"Why are you in just a bra?"

" I-I-it's just a habit. To sleep like this, that is. I thought I would be sharing a bed with Maya Fey, so it would be fine... I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable..."

"Did you just apologize to me? You must be REALLY tired."

"Quiet, fool. I'll just put something on..."

"No, it's fine. That is, I don't mind. We are siblings, after al-"

"NEVER say we're siblings. We AREN'T siblings!"

"Franziska, quiet! You'll wake the others!"

"...Hmph."

"...I'm sorry. You're right, we aren't siblings, are we?"

"No. We aren't."

"Alright. But aren't you cold?"

"Only a little."

"Here, I'll keep you warm."

"...What are you trying to pull, Miles Edgeworth?"

"Nothing at all. Good night, Franziska."

"…Good night, fool."

* * *

"Hey, Nick, are you awake?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Did you hear their conversation?"

"Uh-huh. What of it?"

"I don't know. I thought it was kinda sweet. Look, they're all cuddled up together!"

"Yeah... I never thought Franziska von Karma could ever look cute, but there she is all curled up like a kitten!"

"... Yep. I guess so."

"Oh, by the way, Maya... Why are we sleeping together? I thought I was sharing a bed with Edgeworth."

"You were, but we decided to switch. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not. In fact, I'm more comfortable sharing a bed with you."

"You are?"

"Yeah! After all, you're my best friend, Maya."

"Wow, okay. Thanks, I guess."

"No problem. See you tomorrow!"

"Yeah. Sleep well."

*Kraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw*

* * *

 **End of Day 1**


	6. Appearances

**Oof, I posted this later than I wanted to. I was aiming to put this up on Friday night, but got stuck with some extraneous work... Sorry to anyone who spent time checking before this went up. BUT I'll make it up to you. This weekend, I am planning to post not one, NOT two, but THREE chapters, so stay tuned!**

* * *

They were quite peculiar, these two couples in their two beds. For one thing, the pairs were so utterly different.

On the bed closest to the window lied Miles Edgeworth and Franziska von Karma, the two most famous prosecutors on the West Coast. Even in their sleep, the two were uptight and tense, breathing lightly and cautiously. Despite being so physically close, there was a clear divide between the pair, a sort of wariness, a fear of interaction. That was to be expected, I suppose, of the students of Manfred von Karma, the stoic who loathed personal connection.

On the other side of the room, the dynamic duo of Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey was sprawled out and snoring; that is to say, Maya was sprawled out, completely horizontal, her small body somehow managing to take up most of the bed, and Phoenix was snoring, so loudly that the people in nearby rooms might complain. Maya was using Phoenix's chest as a pillow, while nearly pushing him off the side of the bed, and yet both of them appeared completely comfortable.

At a glance, the pairs seem so different, and yet both were in a similar situation. All parties remain in love, with no one daring to admit it. Comfort levels complicate matters further. Additionally, there's always a fear of losing what's already there, just like there's always confusion and there's always jealousy. Overall, in that room on that morning, four helplessly confused lovers slept peacefully in each other's warmth, up until the light shone in the window.

The sun chose to wake Franziska first, gently pawing at her face until the woman slowly opened her eyes. As her eyelashes fluttered open, she took in her surroundings and found herself surprised, but strangely soothed by the presence of the man sharing her bed: Miles Edgeworth. With a simple sigh and a slight smile, she thought to herself: _Now how exactly did this happen? I told myself to keep my distance from him, at least for now. You never learn, do you, Franziska von Karma?_

"Miles," she quietly called, "Miles, wake up." In the absence of any action, she proceeded to nudge him in the chest, and discover how surprisingly hard his toned muscles were. Blushing, the woman gently shook him by the arm instead. "Wake up, fool, it's morning."

"Franziska," he groaned, sitting up and stretching. He briefly examined her, before muttering, "So it wasn't just a dream..."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," she snapped, crossing her arms and turning away from him. After a beat of silence, she asked, "Did you sleep well?"

"After I got back to sleep, yes. I actually slept better than I have in a long time." He looked up at her hopefully. "What about you?"

"Well," she blushed, "it was... different. This was my first time sleeping with someone else, or sleeping with a man."

An eyebrow raised, Edgeworth countered, "Well I certainly hope I didn't disappoint."

"Fool," she scoffed, rising from the bed. "I'm taking a shower."

"Wait!" he called out, stopping her before she left the room.

"Yes?"

"The sleeping arrangements..." he began slowly, "Do you like them as they were last night?"

She hesitated, turning back slowly to face him. "Miles," she paused, "I would not mind sleeping with you again, if that's what you would like."

He gave a soft smile, quietly thanking Franziska before she slinked off to the bathroom. The man sighed contently, reclining back in the bed and thinking to himself, silently. Then, the voice called,

"You love her, don't you?"

Alarmed, Edgeworth whipped his head around, only to meet the eyes of one Maya Fey. The young woman was grinning mischievously, her chin propped up on her intertwined fingers, her elbows rested on sleeping Phoenix's side.

Still astounded, the prosecutor stuttered, "What?"

"Ms. von Karma. Do you, you know, want to be with her?"

The man considered his options, eventually admitting, "Yes, I think I do."

"Lucky," Maya sighed, "You're in love with someone who has a chance of loving you back. Meanwhile, I'm stuck loving this oblivious lug." With that, she pushed Phoenix over on the bed, causing a slight falter in his snoring, but nothing more.

"Someone who might love me back? Have you met Franziska?" Edgeworth laughed. "That woman wouldn't be caught dead with a lover. Besides, I don't think I'd be her type."

Maya fiercely shook her head. "No, I think she likes you! Honestly, Edgeworth, you shouldn't rule things out so easily!"

"Then you shouldn't give up on Wright," he countered smoothly, "He definitely has strong feelings for you."

"Yeah, I know. I'm his 'best friend.'" She rolled her eyes, but was clearly more hurt than annoyed. "God, I'm so deep in the friend zone that it'd take a mile-long ladder to get me out."

In his sleep, Phoenix muttered something incoherent about a step-ladder, to which Maya ran a hand through his spikey hair. "I just wish he'd see me as something more than a child." Suddenly, Maya's eyes lit up. "Speaking of which, Edgeworth, you'd better make sure you get back here before eight tonight. It's Tuesday, the 14th, after all!"

Edgeworth's eyes widened. "Really!? Today's the 14th!?"

"Huh? You haven't been counting down the days for the past two months!? What type of Samurai fan are you, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"A poor one," the man admitted, "I don't know how I could've forgotten."

"The hour-long special..."

"The season finale..."

"THE SAMURAI SPECTACULAR!" the pair proclaimed in perfect unison, each raising an excited fist in the air. Their exuberant cheer was enough to finally jolt Phoenix from his deep sleep.

"Oof!" cried Phoenix, hastily sitting up, only to be knocked back down by Maya's outstretched fist. With a deep moan, the attorney grunted, "God, Maya, are you planning to punch me in the face every day of this trip? 'Cause it's beginning to look that way."

"Whoops, sorry Nick," she lamented, helping him into an upright position. "We were just celebrating the day of the Samurai Spectacular."

"Uh-huh. And I assume you dorks are gonna want to stay up and watch it at the expense of my sleep?"

Edgeworth crossed his arms and glared at him, tapping a finger on his elbow, annoyed. "Of course we are planning to watch it, Wright, it's the debut showing of a cinematic wonder with a deep and dramatic plot line. Being a 'dork' has nothing to do with it. Besides, the program ends at nine. It's not like we'll be keeping you up all night."

"You tell him, Edgeworth!" Maya sassed.

Phoenix shook his head at them, grinning. "There's no need to tag team me, guys. It'll be futile, anyway, because I'd bet I can get von Karma and her whip to take my side."

Edgeworth's face fell. "Franziska'll be here." He spoke the words quietly, in a state of silently catastrophic horror. He curled into a ball, hugging his knees to his chest, whispering, "Maybe we shouldn't watch it, tonight, Ms. Fey."

"Don't be like that, Edgeworth!" Maya clenched her hands into fists, pouting. "There's no need to be shy about your passion! If she judges you for liking the best show ever, then she's not even worthy of your attention! Now, do you want to watch the Samurai Spectacular or not?"

In a childish voice, the prosecutor echoed, "I want to watch the Samurai Spectacular."

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

"I WANT TO WATCH THE SAMURAI SPECTACULAR!" Edgeworth's voice rang bold and true the second time, now certain in his decision. He smiled proudly, uncurling himself and gratefully receiving a high-five from Maya.

Phoenix rolled his eyes. "You really are dorks. Well, we can discuss this after the convention."

At that moment, Franziska exited the bathroom, looking between the three others, somewhat puzzled. "Was one of you fools shouting something just a moment ago? I could've sworn I heard something."

"It was nothing," Edgeworth replied a little too quickly. "Just the wind, I'm sure."

She glared at him suspiciously, then, grabbing her whip, walked towards the door. "Well, I'm headed out for the day. I'll be back around eight forty-five this evening, in case anyone was wondering."

With that, she slammed the door behind her, leaving a relieved Edgeworth, a pleased Maya, and a grumpy Phoenix in her wake.


	7. The Samurai Spectacular

**So, before I start this chapter, I'd like to personally thank FSOA for letting me know about the typo at the end of my last chapter... I swear I know how to spell "relieved", honest. I didn't mean for that chapter to end with Edgeworth getting covered in a pile of leaves for the second time (releaved)! Anyway, thanks so much for going out of your way to act as my spellchecker, I really appreciate it! With that, here's chapter 7!**

* * *

By the time Miles Edgeworth returned to the hotel on the second evening, Maya had already set up the tv, put on her Steel Samurai pajamas, and bought a bag of popcorn from the hotel gift shop.

Her eyes lit up when he walked through the door. "Edgeworth!" she sang, bouncing on her bed, "You made it! The show's just about to start."

Phoenix sat up beside Maya on the bed, sighing, "Alright, let's get his over with."

"You're watching too, Wright?" Edgeworth smirked. "I thought you didn't like the Steel Samurai."

"I don't," he conceded, slipping an arm around Maya's shoulders and glaring at Edgeworth, "but it's not like I have anything better to do."

"That's the spirit, Nick!" Maya cheered through a mouthful of popcorn, leaning into his embrace.

The prosecutor shook his head. It would've done Phoenix better if he had just admitted he was doing this for Maya's sake. Then, she might've come to appreciate just how much he cared for her. Regardless, the pair started out looking happy, lounging on their bed, looking up at the screen positioned above them.

"Ooh, it's starting! Hit the lights, Nick!" The distinctive drum beats of the Steel Samurai theme echoed through the now dark room, and Maya and Edgeworth sang every word of the song together in less-than-perfect harmony. However, what the Samurai fans lacked in vocal talent, they made up for in enthusiasm. Poor Phoenix, not knowing the words, could only watch.

Then, the show began. The plot of the Samurai Spectacular seemed fairly simple: the Evil Magistrate, the classic super-villain, had kidnapped the lovely Princess Yumiheway of Neo Olde Tokyo. However, since the princess had foreseen her kidnapping, she left a trail of clues for her lover, the Steel Samurai, to find, in hopes that he'd rescue her. Each clue is guarded by a fierce warrior, whom the Samurai must defeat to continue his hunt for the princess. Hence, the was an epic battle scene every few minutes.

After the first battle, Maya turned to Edgeworth and wondered, "Hey Edgeworth, doesn't this scene remind you of episode 4 of season 1?" He briefly nodded, "Yes, this is definitely a reference to that. The fourth episode is a fan favorite, after all!" The two nodded contently at each other, then turned back to the screen to sit in silence for a few more minutes. Phoenix crossed his arms.

After the second battle, Maya turned to Edgeworth and noted, "Hey Edgeworth, I think this is my favorite finale so far. I love how they gave the guard villains more personality; it makes the battles so much more intense!" He replied, "The season 2 finale will always be my personal favorite, but this one might be a close second." The two smiled knowingly at each other, then turned back to the screen to sit in silence for a few more minutes. Phoenix rolled his eyes.

After the third battle, Maya turned to Edgeworth and commented, "Hey Edge-" "Would you stop that!?" Phoenix interjected. "If you're gonna watch the show, then we can watch the show without you talking to Edgeworth every five seconds. You're honestly so childish sometimes, Maya! I'm getting tired of your interruptions and this stupid show."

"Nick! How could you say something like that!?" Maya pouted, appearing only slightly hurt, but then she grinned. "Fine," she taunted, "if you won't appreciate my taste in shows..." She leapt out of the bed and crawled into Edgeworth's, snuggling up to his chest. "...Then I'll just sit with someone who will!"

Both men gawked, utterly stunned, as Maya wrapped her arms around Edgeworth's torso and rested her head on one of his shoulders. The poor prosecutor blushed, "Ms. Fey..."

"Sh! I'm watching!" she snapped, promptly directing her attention to the screen.

Edgeworth got over his shock long enough to shoot Phoenix a disappointed glance.

Wright looked apologetic, instantly regretting his words, but was equally frustrated by the fact that he still had to watch the show, now without Maya. He gazed enviously at Edgeworth, who noted the glance and mouthed a quick apology.

Then, Edgeworth turned toward Maya once more, only to spot silent tears, shimmering in the electronic glow of the television, trickling down her cheeks. Concerned, he gently patted her on the back. She in turn buried her head in his chest. "He thinks I'm a child," she muttered almost silently, her voice cracking.

"I'm sorry, Maya," Edgeworth spoke into her hair. "I'm so, so sorry."

He wiped her tears on his shirt and pulled her in for a brief hug. Edgeworth swore he could kill Phoenix for his ignorance, trampling Maya's feelings like this. Instead, he loudly declared, "Ms. Fey, would you not agree that this particular finale episode is quite profound? Clearly, the Steel Samurai writers have incorporated an extreme amount of religious imagery, and philosophical significance, as well." The man was hoping to decrease the tension between the other two by he making an effort to include Wright, while simultaneously proving how adult Maya was.

In response, the woman pulled away from him, giving a strange look, before noding slightly. "Yeah. That's most of why I like it. The underlying morals remind me of some of my favorite books, like To Kill a Mockingbird."

Phoenix raised his head, "Really? You know, that's my favorite book."

"You too, Nick?" Maya smiled, wanting to look at him but afraid he'd notice her tears. "I never would've guessed."

They continued the movie in silence. Phoenix watched the film, fascinated, perhaps beginning to understand the films appeal, with it's aspects of love, justice and glory. He still couldn't help but glance over at Maya and Edgeworth from time to time, though. Thankfully, they seemed to be moving away from each other.

At least, that was the case until the jump scare halfway through the movie, when Maya squealed and practically jumped into Edgeworth's arms. He caught her right before she fell off the bed, heaving her up onto his lap.

Phoenix himself leapt out of bed, ready to help, exclaiming "Are you alright?" Maya had laughed, replied, "I'm fine," then wrapped her arms around Edgeworth once more, going in for a friendly gesture of affection.

"Thanks, Edgeworth, you're the best," she said into the dark, pulling him in close to her.

That was when the door clicked open and the lights came on. Franziska von Karma entered casually, calling, "I'm bac-"

Everything went silent as she entered the room. The woman's attention went directly across to the far bed, the one by the window. On Franziska' bed, on her bed sat Maya Fey, all snuggled up and close to Miles Edgeworth. To her Miles Edgeworth. Why was she there!?

This. Was. Not. Ok.

The woman tugged violently on her whip, demanding, "What exactly is going on here!?"

"Well," Phoenix began, "we're watching the Samurai Spectacular, and..."

"DID I ASK YOU, FOOLISHLY FOOLISH PHOENIX WRIGHT!?" She lashed her whip at him mercilessly. "I could care less about what you're watching. I was referring to what is going on here." She gestured to the bed on the far side of the room.

"F-Franziska, I can explain..." Miles Edgeworth was the second person in the room to receive a whipping.

"There's nothing to explain, fool!" She took in a deep, sharp breath, then, exhaling, seemed to calm down slightly. "It appears as though I've been replaced."

Maya shook her head vigorously. "It's nothing like that, Franziska, I swear..."

"It's perfectly fine," she dismissed in a voice that was clearly not fine, "If my 'friend' and my Little Brother want to be together..." Both addressees flinched at her icy tone and harsh words. "... Then who am I to intervene?"

With that, she turned sharply on her heel and stormed off the the restroom, eager to get them out of her sight.

After a beat of heavy silence, Phoenix, now remembering exactly how scary an angry woman can be, hastily turned to Maya and blurted, "I'm sorry about earlier, Maya. I shouldn't have called you childish."

She grinned slightly. "It's fine. I'll forgive you... If you watch the Steel Samurai with me from now on!"

The attorney shook his head, smiling. "Sure, whatever makes you happy."

Meanwhile, Edgeworth was rubbing his temples, muttering "so I'm back in the brother zone" to himself.

A sympathetic Maya turned around, offering, "I'm sorry, Edgeworth," and then running over to Nick's be for protection just as the other woman emerged from the bathroom.

"Well," Franziska began, arms crossed at Edgeworth. "Did you decide not to sleep with Ms. Fey?"

"That was never my intention, Franziska," he coolly countered, "I would prefer to be with you, if at all possible."

"Hmph." The woman hesitated, thinking everything through before responding. "I suppose I did say that I would share a bed with you if you wanted this morning, and I do hate to go back on my word. Besides, I'd be more comfortable sharing a bed with my sibling than anyone else."

Once again, he flinched sharply, and she tentatively crawled into bed beside him, giving him a deadly glare. "Don't presume to touch me, though!"

"Naturally," he sighed, slightly disappointed as he reached to turn off the lights. "Goodnight, everyone."

"Good night!"

"Good night."

"Night."

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed that! The next night chapter will be up in a few hours. See you then!**


	8. Night 2

**Time for night two! I tried to add some interesting conversations in here... We'll see how it goes.**

* * *

"...Maya?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I was just wondering..."

"Yes, Nick?"

"...Nothing."

"No, tell me, what's up?"

"I was just thinking about you."

"...And?"

"You've never had a boyfriend before, right?"

"Right."

"Okay, good."

"Good?"

"I meant, that's what I thought."

"Why were you wondering about that?"

"No particular reason, I was just thinking."

"...Ok?"

"Goodnight."

"Wait!"

"What?"

"How many girlfriends have you had?"

"...That's none of your business."

"Hey, no fair! I told you!"

"Yeah, because you've never had a boyfriends! It's different!"

"Boo, c'mon, tell me!"

"Hey, that hurts!"

"Tell me!"

"No!"

"...Hmph. Well, you don't have a girlfriend now, right?"

"Nope."

"That's good."

"Good?"

"Yes, good."

"Not 'that's what I thought'?"

"No, just good."

"...Why would that be good!?"

"It's none of your business."

"Really Maya!?"

"Really. Good night, Nick."

"Wait, that's not fair!"

"Goodnight."

"..."

"..."

"How does she manage to win every argument through ridiculous means!?"

* * *

"GYAAAAAAAAAAah!"

"...Miles?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, another nightmare."

"Oh, I see."

"...Are you still mad at me?"

"Mad? Why would I possibly be mad, fool?"

"I don't know why, but you clearly are."

"I suppose you have evidence to back up that claim?"

"Well, yesterday night you vehemently stated that we weren't siblings, butwhen you came back today, you started calling me 'Little Brother'. Is there any particular reason you changed your stance?"

"...No. That wasn't necessarily because I'm angry, fool. I just felt like calling you that, in the moment."

"So am I your brother or not?"

"Well, we aren't blood related. My father never officially adopted you, either, and to be honest... I've never thought of you as my brother, Miles."

"Excellent, I feel the same way."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that since we were reunited after the Engarde trial, I haven't thought of you as a sibling. You're not my relative, Franziska, just somebody who's incredibly important to me, whom I care dearly for."

"...Fool."

"Tsk tsk tsk... you use that word far too often. Are you cold, Franziska?"

"Shut up and hold me, Miles Edgeworth."

* * *

"Edgeworth? Hey Edgeworth, wake up."

"Ugh... Ms. Fey? What's wrong, why did you get out of bed?"

"Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"...Well, Maya, I can't exactly move without waking Franziska. Is it urgent?"

"Kind of, yeah. It's actually about Ms. von Karma, that is, Franziska."

"What is it!?"

"Well... You like her, right?"

"...Maya, can we have this conversation in the morning!?"

"Not really. I don't want Nick or Franziska to hear. So, you like her, right?"

"We've established that, yes, but it is an unrequited passion, I assure you. Although, we did come to an agreement that we aren't siblings... But that certainly doesn't mean she likes me."

"I still think she has a thing for you."

"Then why did she treat me so coldly earlier?"

"...I think it might have something to do with me."

"With you?"

"Yeah. For some reason, I don't think she likes us hanging out together."

"...Ah, I see. You think she's jealous."

"J-j-jealous!? I never said anything about being jealous!"

"Shh, quiet! You'll wake her."

"Oh, sorry... Why would Franziska von Karma possibly be jealous of me!?"

"Well, according to your notions, she 'has a thing for me', yes? Perhaps she thinks I like you instead."

"Why would she think that?"

"Because we have similar interests, I compliment you often, I wrote a love poem about you yesterday, I was sharing a bed with you when she walked in earlier..."

"Okay, good point. But you don't like me, right?"

"Not in a romantic sense, no."

"Then it's an easy problem to solve! We just need to show that you don't like me!"

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?"

"Well, what if we got into a big argument in front of Franziska, and you said 'I hate you, I'm never talking to you again!' That'd prove it!"

"...So you're suggesting that we stage an argument to prove that we're just friends?"

"Exactly!"

"And if that doesn't work?"

"It doesn't hurt to try! Please, Edgeworth, let's just try it!"

"I think that this is a terrible idea."

"What!? Why?"

"I just doubt it'll work."

"Well, I'm not gonna go to bed until you promise to try it."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

*KRAWshoooooooooo*

"...Fine, I'll play along with your fake argument. Just go to bed now, alright?"

"Yay! Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow! Good night!"

"Good night, Maya."

* * *

 **To be continued next weekend...**


	9. The Fight

**Now here's chapter 9, where Maya and Edgeworth execute their crazy plan! How will it turn out? Let's find out, shall we?**

* * *

At the end of the third day of the legal convention, Phoenix Wright found himself returning to the hotel alone. Maya had left earlier, claiming there was something she needed to do back at the room, but he didn't mind. It was nice to have some peace and quiet, some time to just think. In his usually hectic life, the attorney had little room for relaxation, and he appreciated the chance to walk at his own pace.

Phoenix often thought about what it would be like, had he chosen a different occupation. It was almost impossible to imagine, an alternate universe where he never met Maya, reunited with Edgeworth, or saved a single client from false charges. He truly was a lucky man, to have ended up where he was now. That is what he thought, at least, as he polished his attorney's badge and pressed the button to close the hotel elevator's door.

"Fool!" Franziska von Karma cried, sticking out her hand to stop the closing door. His train of thought was broken, as the woman gave him a haughty breath. "Phoenix Wright, where are your manners? Did you honestly think it would be acceptable to close the elevator door in my face, you foolish fool?"

"Ugh! Sorry, Ms. von Karma, I didn't see you there."

"Hmph. A foolish fool who foolishly saunters with his foolish little head in the clouds is doomed to make a thousand foolish errors!"

Phoenix decided to pretend that made sense and move on. Suddenly, he turned to face Franziska once more, noting that usually, her insults were paired with some sort of physical abuse, but there was none of that today.

"Ms. von Karma… Where's your whip?"

The woman flinched. "I left it in the hotel room. I didn't think I'd need it." With that, she broke eye contact, but continued on, "I've been… trying to change myself, Phoenix Wright, just ever so slightly. I want to be less of a threat, and perhaps a bit more effeminate. You see, there's someone I want to… impress, you could say."

The defense attorney grinned. "Well, that's very noble of you. I'm sure whomever this is for will appreciate it."

"I'm not doing it for him," she snapped, "I'm doing this purely for my own benefit, because I want to change. I wouldn't do this if asked to, for I am Franziska von Karma, and a von Karma yields to no one."

"Naturally," Phoenix mused, "But no one can control the effects of their emotions. Not even a von Karma."

Meanwhile, back in the hotel room, Edgeworth and Maya were getting in a semi-heated argument about a semi-heated argument.

"Maya, I still don't think we should do this. It's a foolish idea, and it probably won't change anything."

"Stop being such a spoilsport! If nothing else, it will be fun!"

"…Fun?"

Maya shot Edgeworth and enthusiastic smile. "I've always wanted to get into a fight with you, Edgeworth! After seeing you and Nick go at it in court for all those years, I want to try taking you on myself, fighting with hard evidence and complete confidence in my position!"

The prosecutor smirked, shaking his head and wagging his index finger as if in court.

"Well then, Ms. Fey, I will give the argument everything my all, and will surely prove you wrong. Now, what exactly are we arguing about?"

"Uh…"

At that moment, there was a click at the door, which opened to reveal Franziska von Karma and Phoenix Wright entering the room. The time for preparation was over. Maya glanced at Edgeworth, who gave her a subtle nod, and the two braced themselves, ready to attempt to generate some believable improvisation.

"How could you say such a thing, Edgeworth!?" Maya yelped, her voice half an octave too high and whiney.

"How could I say it? Well, Ms. Fey, it has always been part of my creed to say what I believe, no matter who may disagree with it." The man remained a calm deposition, despite his internal panic.

Maya's eyes went wide. "Then surely, you don't mean…"

"I do."

Miles Edgeworth took a deep breath. Maya had said she wanted to beat him, sure, but the point of this whole argument was to prove that he was not interested in her in front of Franziska. His mind flickered back to the previous night, when Maya had offered, "Just say 'I hate you' or something." Hmph. The sentence "I hate you" was not a Miles Edgeworth-like thing to say. If there was going to be an insult, it would have to be…

"Maya Fey," Edgeworth scoffed, offering an incredibly convincing, purely maniacal grin, "You are, without a doubt, the least desirable, most useless slob of a child to ever exist. Your job is a joke, which only proves your own stupidity, and you'll never appear like anything but a child, even in your old age. Speaking of, I doubt you'll live that long, seeing as you have a knack for getting into trouble, making you a menace for everyone around you, only weighing them down. I am truly sorry for the state of your existence."

Out of the corner of his eye, Edgeworth caught a glimpse at Franziska, standing in the entranceway. Her arms were crossed, clearly troubled by the fight, and yet, there was a simple twitch in the corner of her mouth. She had almost smiled slightly, observing the scene, so perhaps they had succeeded. Perhaps they had expelled any worry she might have about their relationship. The German opened her mouth, as if to speak, when-

"How DARE you speak to Maya that way!" Phoenix Wright stormed up to Edgeworth like a bull to a red flag, fuming. "How can you act so smug and confident when spilling a list of utter lies?"

Edgeworth stuttered, unsure of how to respond, as Phoenix continued, "First of all, Maya is NOT a child. In fact, you're the one acting immaturely here! Did you even hear that list of insults? What are you, five? How could you call her useless, dang it, Edgeworth, you'd be in JAIL if not for her! And just because Maya's somewhat unlucky doesn't make her a menace; everyone enjoys her company, because she's a wonderful, kind, amazing person! You even said so yourself!"

Maya was stunned. She had never seen Nick so angry, arguing so passionately, so fervently, and it was all on her behalf. _Don't stop there,_ she silently begged, and he obliged.

"As for her job, you have no idea how much hard work and effort Maya puts into being the Master of the Kurain! I mean, she's practically the mayor of the town. And so what if her figure looks like this forever? Maya is beautiful, you must be blind not to see it. In conclusion, I'm sorry, Edgeworth, but you are completely wrong about everything."

Edgeworth paused, trying to hide his own smile. _Wright, I knew you'd come to your senses eventually. Well done, my friend, well done. Now let's wrap this up:_

"Well," Edgeworth countered, "You talk big, but the question is, where's your evidence of her beauty, her usefulness? Would you actually consider dating her yourself?"

"Yes," Phoenix proclaimed. "In a heartbeat."

On the verge of tears, Maya ran up to hug Phoenix from the side, wriggling her head under his arm. Edgeworth couldn't help but smile, but in attempt to keep the act, he calmly concluded, "I suppose you've won, then, Wright. I'm sorry, Ms. Fey, it appears I was mistaken. Now excuse me, if you would."

He exited without another word.

"NICK!" Maya squealed, still clinging to him, "That was awesome!"

The attorney wearily sighed, patting Maya on the head. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I guess I should've let you fight your own battle; I just got so riled up, watching him talk to you like that."

"It's perfectly fine," Maya breathed, as Phoenix pulled away from her, taking up her hands in his.

He looked her dead in the eye and stated, "No matter what from, under whatever circumstances, I will always be there to protect you, Maya. If you get accused of murder, I'll be your attorney. If you get kidnapped, I'd send innocents to jail to free you. If you're trapped in an isolated temple with a murderer, you know I'll sprint across that burning bridge without hesitation."

He twirled her away from him, releasing her hands before adding, "And if anyone dares to break your heart, he'll have to answer to me first!"

A slow applause filled the room, as Franziska von Karma took a few steps toward the couple, a sly grin playing on her lips. "Well, that was certainly… entertaining."

She turned to Maya, offering, "It was quite a heated argument. I assure you that it's quite… unlike Miles to act so furiously. May I ask what the cause of the dispute was?"

The medium flinched, muttering, "Um, I can't remember. Something silly."

"Is that so?" von Karma smirked. "That list of insults seemed to suggest it was something severe. Well, I doubt that Miles truly meant any of what he was saying." The woman patted Maya on the arm gently. "Let me apologize on his behalf."

Maya grinned, "Oh, it's fine. I'm over it." She turned to wrap her arms around Phoenix once more. "After all, Nick was here to protect me."

"So he was," she mused. The prosecutor began to walk away, when Maya called out.

"Oh, and Franziska?"

"…Yes?"

"I'm sorry for staying in your bed to watch the show last night." Maya's eyes were sincere, pleading. "There wasn't anything going on, I swear. Edgeworth really didn't want the sleeping arrangements to change."

Franziska turned to leave once more, tossing back, "Hmph. Like I would care about things like that."

With that, Phoenix emerged from the closet. "Okay, Maya, let's go to bed."

The woman paused. "Nick… did you just change in the closet?"

"I didn't want to wait for Edgeworth to get out of the bathroom," he explained. "I… don't really want to talk to him right now, after what happened."

Franziska snickered, "So you changed in the tiny hotel room closet, all in hopes of avoiding social interaction? Foolish fool…"

Maya laughed, too, while pulling him into bed with her. "Nick, sometimes you're so petty it's adorable. C'mon, let's get some sleep."

And so they did.

* * *

 **Oof... That ending is clear evidence of me, finding a plot hole while proof reading the chapter and trying my best to dodge it: ergo, Phoenix ended up changing into his pajamas from within the closet. *facepalm* I tried, guys, I tried.**


	10. Night 3

**Night 3! Oh dang, I just realized I'm already halfway done with this fic... I'm planning on having 20 chapters, 6 of them being night chapters, so this one falls right in the middle. I suppose I should take this opportunity to thank all the people who've supported this piece, ESPECIALLY those of you who have given reviews, but also those awesome people who have followed, favorited, etc. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"So, it appears you finally came out of hiding, Miles Edgeworth."

"I wasn't hiding. I simply wanted to give Wright and Ms. Fey some space."

"Well then, why don't you climb into bed with me? I'm sure you're exhausted after such a long day, filled with prosecuting, paper work, fake arguments, friends…"

"…Franziska?"

"Yes?"

"What do you mean, 'fake arguments'?"

"Did you honestly think you could fool me, Miles Edgeworth!? Of course I saw right through the act. The fight started for absolutely no reason, and almost immediately after I entered the room. Additionally, neither you nor Maya are the type to get into such heated arguments with a friend, outside of the courtroom. Thus, I deduced that the whole thing was an act, exhibited for the purpose of one foolishly foolish man in love!"

"…I see. Are you angry with me, Franziska?"

"Angry? Why would I be angry?"

"I don't know."

"Well, I'm certainly not. Maya Fey is my friend, too, so I'm glad you helped her."

"…What?"

"The purpose of the fight was to get Wright to admit to loving Maya, was it not?"

"…Yes."

"Hmph. Well, there were certainly nicer ways to do that, but I suppose it worked. Wright was utterly furious with you."

"Yes, well, I'll make amends with him later on."

"Good. I wouldn't want to room with two fools who are fighting for foolish imaginary reasons. Now, good night, Miles Edgeworth."

"Sleep well."

"I will, if you don't wake me up in the middle of the night again."

"I will try my best, but no promises."

"Sweet dreams, fool."

* * *

"GYAAAAH!"

"Really, Miles? Again?"

"Sorry. Did I wake you?"

"Yes, obviously. Do you always have nightmares, or just when you sleep with me?"

"I... Often wake up in the middle of the night at home, too. I've been having nightmares for quite some time."

"What's got you so frightened?"

"Well, most of the nightmares are about... your father, I suppose."

"..."

"Franziska?"

"I'm sorry I asked."

"No, it's fine."

"I have awful nightmares, too, sometimes."

"Really?"

"Yeah. That's why I sleep in lighter clothes: if I get too hot, I have bad dreams."

"About him?"

"Yes."

"…I see. Do you not want me to hold you tonight, then?"

"No... please do. It's quite comforting, actually."

"Very well. Is this good?"

"...Yes. Thank you, Miles."

"It's okay. I enjoy it, too."

"..."

"..."

* * *

"Nick?"

*KRawww*

"NICK!"

"Uph, I'm up, I'm up. What is it, Maya?"

"I... Had a nightmare."

"Really? That's too bad. You wanna talk about it?"

"No, not really..."

"Ok. Good night, then."

"Wait, Nick!"

"What? I'm actually kinda tired, Maya."

"A-aren't you gonna offer to hold me? You know, like Edgeworth and Franziska?"

"Oh... Do I have to?"

"YES!"

"Okay, just like... This? Gosh, that tickles..."

"It wouldn't tickle if you stopped squirming so much!"

"Sorry!"

"...Nick?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks again, for earlier."

"...Forget it, Maya."

"Sleep well!"

*KRaawSHOO*

* * *

 **To be continued next weekend...**


	11. The Lunch Date

**UGH another Sunday night chapter! I'm sorry that this is so late! Okay, I have an excu- that is, and explanation: in all honesty, I lost power in my residence for the past several days and, thank goodness, I got it back a few hours ago. Naturally, my first order of business was not to complete my actual work, but rather to post the next chapter of my current fan fiction. At least my priorities are in order. Without further ado, here's chapter 121** It was the morning of the fourth day of the Legal Convention, the halfway point of the week. If one were to compare the two couples on the fourth day compared to the first, one would see... progress. For example, Phoenix and Maya looked slightly less like they just happened to be thrown onto a bed together; instead, Maya's petite figure was fully squished by the large attorney, who had rolled over in his sleep. Well, at least they were closer.

"Nick..." Maya groaned, waking up, "Nick, get up!" Struggling, she tried to push him off of her. Finally waking up, he rolled off to the side, stretching.

"Oof, sorry, Maya."

"Yeah," the medium grunted, "That was rough."

Phoenix ran a hand through his messy spikes. "Yeah, I guess I'm probably a too big to be sleeping with you like this."

"Size doesn't matter, Nick," Maya grinned.

"It did feel nice," Phoenix continued. "I'd do it again, with you, Maya."

"Any time you want to share a bed with me, I'm yours, Nick."

"What are you fools TALKING about!?" Franziska hissed, sitting up. "Stop speaking so suggestively in the presence of others!"

"Says the woman who enticed me into bed with an ever-so-suggestive tone last night," Edgeworth mused, stretching his arms.

"That was a mistake," Franziska blushed. "English is my second language, so I have some leeway."

"A mistake?" Phoenix taunted, raising an eyebrow. "The Franziska von Karma made _a mistake_?"

"Shut up!" she screeched, chucking a pillow in his general direction.

Dodging said pillow effortlessly, Phoenix climbed out of bed, turning back to offer Maya a hand and a smile. "You ready to take on the fourth day of the Legal Convention?"

"Heck yeah!" Maya cheered, jumping off the mattress. "Let's go listen to some more old lawyer guys talk for hours!" With that, the pair rushed off to go brush their teeth and prepare for the rest of the day.

When they had both left, Edgeworth shook his head. "How are those two not together yet!?"

"Tell me about it," Franziska smirked, flopping back onto the bed. He turned to observe her, in awe of how someone could be so beautiful first thing in the morning. In fact, she looked as gorgeous as ever, that jostled hair, the fluttering eyelids, her-

"What are you staring at, Miles Edgeworth!?" Shoot. Busted.

"Nothing," he offered, "I was just wondering what your plans are for today."

"Plans?" she echoed suspiciously.

He nodded. "You see, I was wondering if you'd be interested in getting lunch with me."

As soon as those words were spoken, both prosecutors went into a silent, temporary state of panic, each weighing a million options in their minds.

"Yes," she finally concluded. "I will... yes."

Their eyes met, and both began to blush, then hastily get out of bed to get ready.

"Excellent," he called, facing away from her, "I'll meet you around noon at the restaurant across the street."

"Very good," she replied. "I'll look forward to it."

* * *

Franziska von Karma waited alone at the table for approximately five minutes before getting up to check the time. Around ten minutes after, she got up to use the restroom, only to return to an empty table. Just as she was beginning to wonder if he would ever show up, though, a familiar violet-clad roommate of hers strolled through the restaurant doors.

"…Maya Fey? What are you doing here?"

Maya, who was just as surprised as Franziska, suddenly grinned and approached her table. "Oh, hey! I'm just grabbing lunch; the lecturer we were listening to was SO boring: the guy sitting in front of us even fell asleep! Anyway, Nick, being the awesome guy he is, said that while he would feel bad about leaving halfway through the speech, but that I should sneak out and feed myself. He even said he would cover for my absence by lying that I went to the bathroom or something!"

"What a hero," Franziska smirked.

"Tell me about it!" Maya enthusiastically nodded. After a pause, a more concerned expression crossed her face. "Are you eating all by yourself?"

The prosecutor gave off an exasperated sigh, "I was supposed to meet that fool Miles Edgeworth here, but he's late! He probably forgot…" She squeezed her sleeve, violently tugging at it. "I swear, if that fool forgot about me, I'll…"

"Calm down, deep breaths, chill," Maya urged, taking the seat across from her. "Don't worry, Franziska, I really doubt that he forgot. He's probably just late for some other reason."

As instructed, the woman heavily inhaled, then let it out a sad sort of sigh. After receiving a nod of thanks, Maya sat up, her eyes flickering with amusement. "So…if he's taking you out to lunch, does that make this a date?"

Flinching, the prosecutor countered, "I don't believe so, no."

Maya made a face. "Oh… Well…" She leaned in close, widely grinning, "Would you want it to be a date?"

Franziska narrowed her eyes. "What exactly are you asking?"

"I'm just saying, if Edgeworth were to explicitly ask you on a date, would you say yes?"

"I… might."

Maya rolled her eyes. "There's no need to be so secretive with me, Franziska! I won't tell anyone if you like him."

The woman crossed her arms, scowling. "It sounds like you're already quite convinced that I'm in love with Miles Edgeworth. It makes me want to prove you wrong."

"Franziska, you're actively cuddling with the man every night."

"That doesn't mean-"

" 'Please hold me, Miles…it's quite comforting, really.' "

"Okay, first of all my voice is not that high: secondly, that was a private conversation, you have absolutely no right to-"

"Oh come on, Franziska!" Maya rose to her feet, slamming her hands on the table in a lawyer-like fashion. "Stop trying to deny it!"

Giving off another exasperated sigh, she confessed, "Fine. If you swear to never tell anyone, I'll admit it. That is… I've been quite fond of Miles Edgeworth for some time now."

Sitting down and enthusiastically applauding, Maya chirped, "I knew it!"

"Well, good for you, I suppose," Franziska countered, looking less than impressed.

The medium only grinned. "He likes you back, you know."

This surprised Franziska. "…What? You're lying."

"Why would I? Trust me, Edgeworth has the full on hots for you!" As if on cue, the man entered the restaurant at that moment, frantically looking around.

"Speak of the devil," Maya beamed, "You should ask him about it!"

Franziska panicked. "Ask him about it!? What do I say?"

"Just tell him how you feel! Say, 'I feel', and then just let it all out!"

Franziska nodded slowly, just as Edgeworth spotted their table and rushed over.

With an apologetic look, he explained, "I'm so sorry I'm late, Franziska; I was trapped in a session, and I couldn't get out."

"Miles," Franziska mused, pausing long enough for Maya to nudge her onward, "I feel… quite annoyed. I expected you to be on time." With that, she grinned at Maya, quite pleased with herself; the medium replied with a facepalm.

The man raised an eyebrow, questioningly glancing between the two women, then concluded, "I see." After a beat, he questioned, "Am I… interrupting something?"

Maya jumped out of her chair, "No, no, no… We're not doing anything at all, just…" Suddenly, she grabbed Franziska by the wrist and started pulling her aside. "Please excuse us for a second." Once they were out of earshot, Maya turned and vehemently demanded, "What was THAT!?"

Franziska glared viciously at Maya. "THAT was an awkward disaster. I was right, keeping your emotions to yourself is always the best option."

"It was only an awkward disaster because you practically insulted him!"

"I just told him how I was feeling! I thought that was what you wanted me to do."

"Well, yeah, but not like that! ...Here, let's just try a different method. Try to remember a moment when you were particularly fond of him, one of the times when you knew you liked him."

Franziska thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Alright. Now what?"

"Now, you go back to that table and talk about it!"

"I bring it up, just like that?"

"Yep. Now go, you shouldn't keep the man waiting!"

With that, Maya rushed back to the table and quickly ushered Franziska into her seat. Sneaking around the table, she secretly patted Edgeworth on the back and whispered, "Good luck," before scurrying away.

There was a brief silence between the two of them, before the woman tried her best to begin.

"Miles?"

"Yes?"

She paused uncomfortable, took a deep breath, and proceeded: "Do you remember that one time when we were teenagers, and there was a double-murder in the defendant lobby, so your court debut was cancelled, and in the end the killer shot at us and then got away?"

Edgeworth smiled, relaxing slightly. "Yes, I find that day somewhat difficult to forget. Why do you mention it?"

"That was one of the best days of my life."

He began coughing, almost spitting out some of his drink. "That's certainly an interesting day to pick. What, were you that thrilled I lost my chance to officially become a prosecutor before you did?"

"That might've been part of it," she smirked. "I mainly liked the part after that, though. I was still in shock because of the gunfire, and I felt too numb to move, so you picked me up in your arms and carried me out of the courtroom. Then, you put me down on the bench in the hallway, and bought me a Swiss Roll."

"Ah yes, I remember that," he recalled. "I do believe you were crying the whole time, and I wanted to keep you quiet."

"Hmph. I don't remember crying that much."

"Sure."

She made a face, and he laughed.

"Anyway, do you remember what you said to me, after that?"

Edgeworth shook his head, unsure.

Closing her eyes, the prosecutor recounted, "You said, 'Franziska von Karma, you are one of the bravest women I know.' I'll always remember that."

The man offered a gentle smile. "That's still true, you know. Your everyday valor astounds me, Franziska."

"Naturally," Franziska taunted out of customary egotism. Then, after a pause, she added, "And thank you. I'm… really glad, Miles."

He brushed it off, then glanced at the woman's side, noticing a strange absence in her apparel. "Come to think of it, you're not carrying your whip with you, are you?"

She vigorously shook her head. "I don't need it. I can act on my own strength, without physical instruments."

He teased, "I thought you were going to say that your tongue can lash just as hard."

Folding her arms, she mused, "That's true, as well. Words should be enough to cut down any fool that opposes me."

Feigning disappointment, Edgeworth clicked his tongue at her. "After I went through all the trouble to get that back to you at the airport last year, you're just going to discard it?"

"Fool," she scoffed, "I still needed it at the time." Stopping herself, Franziska took a more sincere tone. "More than that, though, I needed you to come and find me. I needed, no, I still need y-" Her phone vibrated, setting off a timer she had set for herself. "I need to leave."

Dismayed, Edgeworth sighed, "I'm afraid our conversation was cut short. I suppose that's my fault, for arriving late."

She responded by rising to her feet and pointing at him dramatically. "Next time, you'd better show up early, Miles Edgeworth!"

"Next time," he grinned.

Meanwhile, Maya Fey, lurking in the shadows, shook her head. _Dang it, Franzy, you were so frickin' close! Just what type of bad luck does it take to be interrupted at that precise moment!?_

The young woman hesitated. _Bad luck, or bad "karma"…_ That gave her an idea. _I think I have a plan for tonight. If nothing else, fear will pull these two lovebirds together!_

Then she was gone, disappeared into the shadows of the spirit realm.

* * *

 **To be continued next weekend...**


	12. Ghost Story Gone Wrong

**And we're back to Friday chapters! I DID IT! *Author vigorously pats self on back* I'm incredibly sorry that the date for each chapter is somewhat unpredictable! I'm trying my best, with my constantly changing workload. Anyway, I would like to dedicate these next two chapters to JordanPhoenix, the mega-amazing super author who was kind enough to review this fic (despite the fact that it's not an eighth as good as her worst writing)! I've been attempting to catch up with Turnabout Everlasting for a while now, but I keep falling helplessly behind. If only reading Ace Attorney fan fictions were a paying occupation...**

* * *

Maya had grabbed him by the arm and leaned in close, her voice earnest: "Nick," she demanded, "I need your help."

The attorney arched an eyebrow, concerned by the sudden scheming grin on her face, before hesitantly offering, "What's up?"

"Can you do something... a little unorthodox for me?"

The man paused, not forgetting his promise to protect Maya in any way possible. "How bad are we talking here?"

"Well,I want something to happen tonight, and I need you to set the mood."

Now Phoenix was even more concerned. "What sort of 'mood' are we talking about here?"

"Just, listen..."

* * *

Night fell. The Convention had ended for the day. The hotel room was dimly lit, with Maya in her Steel Samurai pajamas, and the two prosecutors in their normal attire. The three bodies sat on the floor in a circle. Phoenix was nowhere to be seen, and an eerie silence creeped into the room.

"What's all this about, Maya?" Edgeworth questioned, folding his arms. "Why are we all on the floor?"

"Because," the girl smirked, leaving a dramatic pause, "tonight, we're telling GHOST STORIES!"

"Ghosts? Stories?" Franziska looked confusedly between the two others. "I still don't understand why we have to be on the floor."

"Just roll with it!" Maya pouted, rising from her seat to hit the lights.

Edgeworth chuckled, "I find it strange, that a spirit medium would be so keen on telling ghost stories."

"It's BECAUSE I'm a spirit medium that I love ghost stories!" she proclaimed, letting a flashlight illuminate her pale face. "Honestly, Edgeworth, if you knew how scary the spirit realm was," she offered a maniacal grin, "then you'd understand exactly what I mean."

Taking a seat, she continued, "That is to say, this tale is completely true. It recalls the events of a certain night, when a certain spirit medium lost control of her body. You both understand, I'm sure, that in the spirit realm, all the dead are alive, still wandering around, full of rage and spite."

Straight-faced, Edgeworth countered, "At least, they would be, if such things were to exist." Franziska shushed him.

Maya scowled, "Maybe you just don't want them to exist." With a toss of her hair, she proceeded: "Any and every dead person, as healthy and powerful as ever, any deceased celebrity... mentor... parent... all waiting for a medium to summon them so they can exact their revenge." By now, she was certain that the same man was lurking in both of their minds, doubly so when Franziska flinched at the word 'parent'. Maya'd also noticed that the two had slowly been scooting toward each other since the start of the story.

"One day, a spirit medium was reading her diary, one about a particular... case. She'd worked on it a while back, and gotten the suspect free of charges. The true killer was arrested, and sentenced to death." Maya let those words hang in the air, a collective blade hanging over their heads. She walked a fine line, not wanting to make it too obvious, but simultaneously removing any doubt about who said spirit was.

"This spirit medium just so happened to be thinking about that particular culprit, when she fell into a vat of spirit water behind her. The water's powers forced the girl's spirit out of her body, and suddenly..." She dropped the flashlight, submersing herself in the shadows. " _That_ person took over."

Edgeworth inched his hand over, only to have it graze Franziska's. He gasped, about to draw it back when she grabbed hold of him, pressing her gloved hand into his palm. They sat together in tense silence.

"And _that person_ decided to pay his two _lovely_ heirs a little visit," a familiar, booming voice echoed, clicking off the flashlight with a commanding foot. "Little did they know, that he'd been watching them from the spirit realm the _entire time_. He knew their thoughts and desires, and he was... _incredibly_ disappointed."

Franziska flinched, her shoulder inadvertently ramming her shoulder into Miles's chest; he paid it no mind, instead holding her body close to him. _Good Lord,_ he realized, _She's shivering._ He squeezed her tighter, pulling her into his lap.

"Emotions?" the strange voice cackled. "Completely foolish, utterly unnecessary! You were supposed to be perfect, but I now see that neither one of you could ever reach that goal. And thus, I decided to punish you."

"It's just a story," Franziska whimpered, burying her face into his vest. "I shouldn't be afraid of a simple story."

"To think that you two were _sleeping_ together in the same bed, by God," the arrogant speaker chastised, "Have you no shame? Hence, I decided to visit you both in your own hotel room. I rode up the elevator" a pause, "Ah yes, I _quite enjoyed_ the elevator ride; those have always been pleasant experiences for me."

Edgeworth growled lowly. He wanted this to stop, but he didn't know what to say, what he could do. So it went on:

"Then I paced down the hallway, read to face you both in person once more. Room three-twelve, was it? I suppose I'll jus-

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Franziska screamed, and Edgeworth dove away from the door, sheltering her in his arms. No matter what, he wouldn't let him hurt her, not this time. So close, they were _so close_ to each other, their hearts pounding into each others chest, both refusing to let go.

Then, the lights flickered on, revealing Phoenix Wright, casually sauntering in. "I'm back," he announced uneventfully.

"Hey, Nick," Maya sighed, perched on the edge of the far bed. "We were just telling ghost stories. It looks like Edgeworth and Franziska got really scared!"

Said prosecutors were suddenly coming to their senses, trying to suppress the adrenaline rush that had just pulsed through them. The man sheepishly got off of Franziska, running a hand through his sweat-soaked bangs, and offering the woman a hand. She obliged, carefully gripping onto him, then suddenly flinging her delicate body into his arms once more; she wasn't ready to be alone again, not yet.

"Franziska..." he muttered, comforting her the best he could. Edgeworth turned to glare daggers at Maya, demanding, "Ms. Fey, for God's sake, please never do anything like that again."

"Okay," she nodded, her face serious. It seemed that she had fully understood what she was doing, what it had meant... but she didn't regret it in the slightest. _I'm sorry, Franziska, this is the only way I could think of to get you to open up to him._

The prosecuting prodigy steadily rose, easing herself away from his warmth. Tucking a stray hair behind her ear, she muttered, "Am I still one of the bravest women you know, Miles?"

He nodded. "Considering all you've been through, yes, by far. I'm amazed that you didn't start screaming from the start. Now come, go clean yourself up, and we can go to sleep."

She still sat there, wordlessly. After a beat, he fret, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, fool," she snapped suddenly, getting up. "I just needed a moment to myself, that's all." She rose, diligently approaching Maya.

"Ms. Fey," she began crisply, "You truly do an excellent impersonation of my father. You should go into theatrics." Before the medium could muster a response, the other woman turned to the attorney by her side. "And as for you, Phoenix Wright, was it really necessary to knock in such a ridiculously loud manner? You already had a key, you foolish fool!"

With that, she proudly strode over to the far side of the room, only to whip back and loudly declare, "So, yes, I am absolutely fine." Then she dropped the façade, screeching, "other than the fact that I somehow wound up rooming with two insensitive, utterly foolish foolhardy dummkopfs!"

Sharply turning, the woman retreated into the bathroom. Edgeworth sighed, glancing at the others, unsure of whether to apologize for Franziska's actions or admit that she had a fair point.

Fortunately, he didn't need to do either, because Maya spoke first: "I think that succeeded, to some extent." She turned to Phoenix, giving him a quick hug. "Thanks, Nick, and I'm sorry if Franziska hates you forever because of this."

"Eh," he mused, "I don't think she was particularly fond of me to begin with."

Now addressing Edgeworth, Maya grinned, "Now, all according to plan, Franziska will storm out in a few minutes in one of her mega-hot outfits, needing some comfort, and you get to snuggle the heck out of her! ZVARRI, just like that, instant romance! You'll have her by morning, Edgeworth, I swear it."

The man looked horrified, seething, "What are you talking about? You think that bringing up Franziska's father is going to force out her feelings? Are you _insane_!? If anything, that'll make her..."

"I'm back."

Franziska's call was heavy and low, her gaze directed at the ground. Contrary to the expected, she wore a full nightdress, incredibly modest, covering from her wrists to her ankles. Nobody spoke through the palpable tension, as she quietly slid into bed, turning her back on them all.

"Miles?" she called, refusing to look at him.

"Yes?" he quietly pleaded.

"Take care not to touch me, when you get into bed."

The man icily glared at the other two, before answering, "Of course, Franziska. Sleep well."

Silence.


	13. Night 4

**Night Chapter #4: This one only has one section, because I honestly couldn't think of anything else to pair with it. As such, this is 100% pure Fredgeworth... Maybe I should've picked a different pair of chapters to dedicate to JP? Oh well, I hope you all like it!**

* * *

"AAAAAH!"

"... Franziska!? Are you okay!? What's wrong?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, it was... Just a dream. Ugh… I guess I beat you to the punch tonight."

"Was it him?"

"Yes."

"God, Franziska, I'm so, so sorry..."

"Why? Because you're nightmarish visions about my father appear to be contagious?"

"No, because I couldn't protect you."

"...Pardon?"

"Franziska von Karma, my worst nightmare is not about confronting your father on my own. It's not even about my father's death, at least, not always, but... It is my worst fear and reoccurring nightmare that Manfred von Karma is hurting you, Franziska, and there's nothing I can do to stop it."

"...I can take care of myself, Miles."

"I know you can, but that won't stop me from caring about you anyway."

"Thank you, I suppose, but you know I'm not a damsel in distress, at least, not any more..."

"Is that so? You certainly seemed distressed, when you screamed a moment ago. Speaking of which, I'd bet that other than the day's event, this nightgown was a major cause of your nightmare; it looks heavy. You probably got too hot. Let me just..."

"MILES EDGEWORTH, stop nonchalantly removing my clothing!"

"Sorry, sorry, I'll put it back on..."

"No, Miles, I'm going to take off your clothes now!"

"...Excuse me?"

"You think you can just strip me like that and get away with it? No! I'm taking off your pajamas, too! Have fun sleeping in your boxer shorts!"

"Franziska, you're acting childAAAugh! Fr-Franziska..."

"Let me assure you, Miles, my reasons for doing this are most... mature."

"...If you wanted it to be like that, you could have just asked."

"No, I couldn't. I've never been good with romantic conversation."

"Franziska... Do you really want this?"

"Only if you want it, that is, if you want me. Miles… I think I'm in love with you."

"I hoped you'd say something along those lines."

"Miles, do you…"

"Yes, I love you, too, Franziska von Karma, to an insane degree."

"Good."

"I don't think I could possibly care for you any more than I do now."

"I'm glad."

"But this is as far as I'll go with you tonight. It's tempting, but we shouldn't, not like this. We'd wake the others."

"I suppose you're right."

"Very well. I'll just snuggle with you, then, and whisper sweet words in your ear until morning."

"Is that what you Americans call it? Snuggling?"

"Something like that, yes."

"Should we sleep, then?"

"Let's sleep, love."

"…"

"…"

* * *

 **To be continued next weekend...**


	14. Sudden Realizations

**So, I was aiming to publish this yesterday, but alas, technological difficulties prevented me from logging on... So, Sunday evening is the best I've got, this time around! This chapter is dedicated to the lovely MitsuMei shipper, Audrey Watson, who has supported my work despite the language gap between us... I only wish my Spanish were better, so I could support your works! It might be time to pull out the old Google Translate! ;)**

* * *

They would've thought it was just a dream, had they not awoken the following morning so deep in each other's arms, their bare limbs entangled. When the first of them got up, the second instantly rose as well, perfectly in sync with each other. She yawned, then shivered, jostled with a sudden cold, to which he wrapping the blanket around her bared shoulders, pulling her against his chest and squeezing her tightly. Finally, Miles Edgeworth proclaimed the undeniable truth that had been lurking in his mind for the past four days: "Franziska, you look absolutely stunning first thing in the morning."

"Fool," she muttered, turning away from him, trying to conceal her smile.

Sighing, he kissed her cheek. "You're adorable when you blush. Regardless, you should probably get dressed before the others wake up."

She nodded in agreement. "True, I don't want anyone else to see me like the but you, Miles Edgeworth." He released her contently, observing as gently slipped out of bed. Amused, she turned her head back, raising an eyebrow at him. "Don't stare."

"My bad," he unapologetically conceded, leaning back onto the pillows.

"And I thought that you were a gentleman," she grinned, crawling back across the bed until they were face to face. "Foolish fool," she poked, tapping a finger on his nose. He grunted in defeat, to which she kissed him lightly, then retrieved a kimono-like robe to throw over her barely-decent attire.

"IT WORKED!" Maya shouted out of nowhere, jolting up from her bed. The prosecutors both jumped, startled. The cheery medium continued, "So, are you guys a couple now?"

Edgeworth smirked, turning to his lover and tugging her back into bed, staring lovingly into her eyes. "A couple? That sounds about right. Does that seem good to you, Franziska?"

Crossing her arms, she nodded. "Yes, I suppose so."

Maya rolled her eyes. "What do you mean, 'you suppose so'? Didn't you tell me that you've been fond of him for quite a long time?"

Edgeworth grinned. "Is that so? Exactly how long are we talking, love?"

For the past seven painstaking years, she thought. "That doesn't matter," she declared boldly. "All that matters is that I care for you now, and I do believe you return those feelings."

"Of course," he replied, kissing her neck.

Smirking, she taunted, "And I suppose you have evidence to back up those claims," with a finger wag.

"Naturally," he proceeded with a bow. "I would never make such radical claims without sufficient proof." Reaching over to the side of the bed, he fished out a folded piece of paper. "Here, I wrote this poem for you days ago. It just didn't feel right, writing one for Maya and not my true lover."

She read through it briefly, then gave him a skeptical glance. "'Hostile beauty'? 'Lovely bellatrix'? You make me sound like some sort of domineering war goddess."

Maya tilted her head. "Well..."

"Don't finish that thought," Edgeworth pleaded.

With a gentle grin, Franziska offered, "It's not bad. A very basic poem, to be sure, but the sentiments are... nice."

"Nice?" Maya chuckled. Edgeworth added, "Is that... all?"

The prosecuting prodigy scowled. "Okay, I struggle with compliments, alright? This sort of thing doesn't come naturally to me! Foolish fools, expecting me to become fluent in foolish romantic talk overnight."

"How's this," Maya urged, "Just say 'I love you'."

"I..." She gulped, facing him, "I love you, Miles Edgeworth." Vigorously blushing, she held herself. "This is so different in daylight: I feel like you can see all of me."

"Don't worry, I like what I see." He wrapped his arms around her, muttering into her hair, "I love you too, Franziska von Karma."

Maya excitedly woke Phoenix. "Nick, it worked! Look!"

"Ugh, Maya... What?"

"Franziska and Edgeworth, they're together! Like, together together! They're dating!"

"WHAT!?" he shot up, the tired wheels slowly turning in his head. "Edgeworth, my stone-hearted, unfeeling best friend, has a girlfriend while I don't?"

"Believe it, Wright," said best friend teased, kissing Franziska once more for good measure.

Phoenix hesitated, glancing away to his own companion. "Maya..."

"Yes?" she sweetly purred.

The defense attorney threw down the blankets, rushing out of bed, explaining, "Let's give the two lovebirds some space. I'm sure they're eager to spend some alone time together."

Edgeworth waved a dismissive hand, gesturing for Wright to sit down again. "It's fine, we'll manage. I have a surprising amount of self-restraint." His hands ran down the sides of Franziska's body, whispering, "Although, you shouldn't test that, Franziska Von Karma. The mere thought of you is making me..."

"Miles Edgeworth, control yourself!" she scolded through a smile.

"Forgive me," he growled, stealing another kiss.

"I'm gonna be sick," Phoenix groaned.

"Nick! Stop being so immature!" his assistant pouted. "Now, shouldn't you congratulate your friend on his successful romantic endeavor?"

Franziska shook her head. "There's no need for that; it's not like we're engaged."

"If anything, we should be thanking you," Edgeworth offered to Maya, and Wright as well, "for your continuous efforts to bring us together."

Franziska shot him a glance. "Efforts? Are you trying to tell me that there was some greater purpose to all the foolishness which occurred over these past few days?"

He shrugged "It's the thought that counts. Besides, we did end up together, so who's to say that something didn't work along the way?"

"I suppose that's true," she conceded.

Phoenix was halfway to the bathroom when he called back, "Come on, Maya, let's get ready." The medium sighed, her fangirling interrupted, as she ran off to accompany her own love interest.

Franziska tried to get up, only to be caught in the arms of Miles Edgeworth, who grunted, "I don't want to get up. I want to stay in bed with you all day."

The woman tugged him away from the mattress, insisting, "That won't do you any good, fool. We should go."

"Very well," he lamented, giving in to her persistence. "Can I count on meeting you for lunch?"

"Certainly. I want to spend every minute I can with you, before I have to leave."

"Leave?" he questioned.

She nodded grimly. "I'm going back to Germany. I have to; my work with Interpol isn't completed yet."

His face fell. Edgeworth had been so high on the euphoria of being with Franziska, he'd entirely forgotten that she worked internationally. They couldn't stay together. That realization hurt worse than a whiplash. "Franziska..."

"I know." She hugged him, nuzzling his neck and whispering, "I'll miss you, Miles, I'll miss you more than anything." She pulled away, pleading, "Let's not think about that now. We have more pressing issues."

"Such as?"

Gesturing to the bathroom door, she seethed, "Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey... Will those fools ever get together!?"

The man smiled, musing, "They certainly don't seem to be in any hurry to."

Noticing the scheming look on her lover's face, Franziska clarified, "Well, I don't believe this is our place to meddle."

Reflecting on all Maya had done for them, Edgeworth countered, "But still..."

"What, do you want to tell Maya a ghost story about her father?" She crossed her arms.

"Of course not, I have much more practical methods in mind. For example," He paused, then nodded, "How about we play a game tonight, all four of us?"

She narrowed her eyes. "What do you have in mind?"

"Anything will work, really. If Wright and Maya spend some quality time together in a non-work environment, then perhaps it will help them to better understand their feelings."

She considered this. "It could work. Very well, we'll play tonight. More Dare-or-Truth, I suppose?"

"Other way around, love. And I have a slightly different game in mind."

"Which is?"

"Franziska, have you ever heard of the game... Never Have I Ever?"

* * *

 **To be continued next weekend...**


	15. Never Ever

**Chapters 15 and 16, squared away! This fic is winding down; I'm only planning on making it 20 chapters long. So, will Phaya get a clue? Let's find out!**

* * *

"So, why exactly are we having an impromptu game night?"

"Do you have a problem with it, Phoenix Wright?" Franziska scowled, crossing her arms. "I want to learn about more foolish American games!"

"Fine by me," Maya chirped, plopping down on the ground between the bickering attorneys. "So, you wanted to play Never Have I Ever, right, Edgeworth?"

"That was the plan, yes," he established, taking a seat to complete the game-circle on the floor "The rules are simple: on your turn, you say something that you've never done. If anyone else has done that thing, they write down a tally mark on their notepad. In the end, the person with the least tally marks wins. Everyone understand?"

He was met with a round of nods. Franziska smirked, "Oh, so this game actually has a winner? I suppose that means I'll have to give it my worst. I'll go first." She observed her opponents, thinking for a second before declaring, "Never have I ever been tried for murder."

With a grumble, all three of the others put down a tally mark. Maya murmured something about "not yet", and "don't jinx it".

"Very well," Edgeworth glanced up, grinning slightly and following: "Never have I ever been tried for murder for a second time."

"That's not fair!" Maya cried, "That's pretty much the same as last time!"

Edgeworth tapped his finger to his forehead. "But 'pretty much the same' and 'the same' are two different concepts, aren't they?"

"True enough," Phoenix admitted, putting down a second tally mark and turning to Maya. There was a beat, as Phoenix spoke with a sheepish grin. "Never have I ever been tried for murder a third time?"

"You guys are all big meanies!" Maya pouted, putting down a third mark and fuming, "Here: never have I ever been a lawyer! Take that!"

"Objection!" Franziska wagged a finger. "Technically, that statement is false, Maya Fey! Whenever you channel your beloved sister, Mia Fey, you, in fact, become a lawyer!"

She considered this. "That's a fair point. Fine, let me rephrase that: never have I ever PRACTICED law." Sighing in defeat, the others were knocked down a peg.

Franziska took her next turn, ready to make a move towards her more serious goal: getting those two fools together! Her eyes toggling between Wright and Maya, she mused, "Never have I ever been single for the entire span of the past five years."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "That's... strangely specific. Well, I'm really the only one here who's forever alone, so-" She paused, gawking at her partner, who had begrudgingly picked up his pen. "Nick!?"

"Sorry!" he offered, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's been a while since I've been in a relationship, I guess."

"I'd say," Edgeworth teased, "Five years is more than just 'a while', Wright." Phoenix raise his hands. "Well, excuse me for not matching up to your level of romantic excellency, Mr. I-Just-Got-A-GF-Yesterday!"

Edgeworth narrowed his eyes, giving up a "Touché." Then he continued. "Moving on, never have I ever slept with a woman who isn't in this room!"

Silence.

"Wow, so you're a virgin, too, Nick?" Maya laughed, slugging him, "And you were teasing me about how many girlfriends you've had! I should've known you were just bluffing."

"I wasn't exactly bluffing," he muttered weakly. "I just didn't want to tell you." Now directing his attention to Franziska's nearly blank sheet, he taunted, "My turn: never have I ever been in love with a man in this room!"

"Thank goodness for that," Edgeworth chuckled, accidentally prying Wright's attention from Maya, who hastily made a tiny dash on her sheet. Unfortunately, after turning back, the defense attorneynoticed the new marking. Before he could ask, though, Maya rushed, "never have I ever gotten a driver's license!"

Both prosecutors marked their sheets, as Phoenix gave Maya a grateful grin. Clearly, she was playing for the both of them. Phoenix sighed. He really should ask her about that tally mark, but looking into her eyes, he hesitated. Phoenix loves Maya. He knows he loves Maya. But right now, they're so close, and he doesn't want to change that. That would be his worst fear, confessing to her and ruining their current friendship.

"I'm done," Phoenix groaned, getting up, eager to escape from his current situation. "I guess Ms. Von Karma won. We should go to sleep soon."

Frustrated, Edgeworth muttered, "If you'll excuse us," gripping Franziska's sleeve to pull her in close. Vehemently whispering in her ear, he growled, "At this rate, they'll be rotting in their graves by the time they confess!"

Franziska nodded. "We need to speed things up." Pausing, she questioned, "May I try something, love?" Edgeworth shot her a concerned look, doubting her romantic expertise, but permitting, "Sure."

With a sharp nod, the prosecuting prodigy suddenly rose, seizing the other woman by the wrist and tugging her toward the bathroom. "Come with me, Maya Fey," she commanded.

"Woah!" the medium squeaked, "What are you doing!?"

"Helping," Franziska snapped, slamming the bathroom door with them inside. The men exchanged a nervous glance, unable to overhear the muffled conversation of the two girls. Finally, several minutes later, Maya exited the room nervously, glancing between Edgeworth and Nick.

She was wearing on of Franziska's pajama outfits, one that was not quite skimpy, but definitely more flattering than her usual garb. The shirt consisted of a flowy, sleeveless blouse, in a light cream shade which complimented her smooth paleness. Her midnight hair and mocha eyes contrasted with the outfit, and her legs rubbed against the dark fabric of comfy-looking black shorts. Nervously, she observed her love interest's reaction, hoping to find some sign of admiration, while relievedly thinking to herself.

 _Thank God the midsection of this top is elastic! All of Franziska's other things were too far stretched out in ways that I couldn't pull off, but I think this one works! Will he notice me now?_

Poor Phoenix was gawking, trying to find the right words. He wanted to tell her that she didn't need this; she looked just as gorgeous in anything else, but nonetheless, seeing her like this was... Wow... She was so beautiful. He could only manage a shaky vocation, "Maya..."

She smiled, letting out a sweetly angelic titter, a light blush tainting her cheeks. "Let's go to bed, Nick," she fluttered, trying to match Franziska's usually confident gait as she approached the mattress. Wright's face was deep red at this point, obviously flustered.

Edgeworth simply shook his head with a grin. _Well played, Franziska, well played_. With his lover in mind, the prosecutor turned back toward the bathroom door, realizing that if she had sacrificed one of her outfits, that there must have been some sort of trade off. Sure enough, there she stood.

While emerging, prosecuting prodigy blushed as well, albeit for a different reason; in the absence of her own pajamas, the teal-haired vixen was clad in silvery-grey flannels adorned with Steel Samurai cartoons. Crossing her arms over he chest, she whimpered, "Not one word, Miles Edgeworth!"

"Franziska Von Karma," he grinned, "you have never looked more beautiful in your entire life."

And he meant every word.

* * *

 **And the answer is no, these fools won't get a clue! *Facepalm* Honestly, I love Phoenix and Maya; they are adorable, making up my second favorite ship and being two of my top ten favorite AA characters, but I feel like they can be quite dense! I tried my best to portray them as such.**


	16. Night 5

**And here's the next night chapter! I'm afraid the nights are getting less interesting, now that Fredgeworth is official... Phaya has always been very much of a daytime ship for me. I don't exactly know why. Anyway, here we go:**

* * *

"Bvrrrrr."

"You good, Maya?"

"Yeah, I'm fine... Other than the fact that I'm freezing my teeth off over here! How does Franziska sleep in this stuff?"

"Good question. I used to think of her as cold-blooded, but now I'm not so sure! Here, Maya, get under the blankets, it's warmer under here."

"Thanks."

"H-Hey! No need to get so close, you're cold!"

"The cold one here is you, Nick, with your frigid personality! Don't you want me to be comfortable?"

"Of course! I just... I'm sorry, Maya. Come here, I'll... Brr."

"Great, now we're both cold."

"It's fine, it'll warm up with both of us under here."

"...Nick?"

"Hmm?"

"If you didn't have to share a bed with me, would you?"

"Sorry, what?"

"I like sleeping with you. Well, you roll around too much, and you snore like an old grandpa, but I still like it. You're comfy."

"Um, thanks?"

"Sorry, that was probably an awkward thing to say."

"No, it's fine. Uh, while we're on awkward topics... Did you like Edgeworth? Or, do you? I mean, as more than a friend. I swear I won't tell Von Karma; she'd whip you to death if you said yes."

"Nick, what are you talking about!? I've never liked him like that."

"Really? ...Never?"

"Never ever."

"Because..."

"Yeah?"

"That means..."

"What!?"

"...Nothing, I must be too tired to think straight. Good night, Maya."

"Good night."

* * *

"MMMMmmm...mmm... Franziska... What a way to wake up."

"You were getting restless, so knew you'd awake soon enough. I thought I'd wait up for you. Are you alright, Miles?"

"After that, certainly. I could kiss your lips all night."

"You shouldn't, fool. We're still attending a convention, remember? So we need some sleep. Plus, I doubt that Wright and Fey would appreciate us ruthlessly snogging only a matter of feet away from their bed."

"I wasn't literally suggesting it."

"Hmph! So you don't truly love me that much, Miles Edgeworth!?"

"Franziska, of course I... Here."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Gott, Miles, you kiss really, really well."

"That's because I love you."

"Mmm, that sounds nice. Say it again."

"What, I love you?"

"Not as a question, fool, as a declaration! Tell me you love me!"

"After you."

"I love you, Miles Edgeworth."

"I love you too, Franziska Von Karma."

"..."

"..."

"I don't think I'll ever have nightmares again, with you here to soothe me."

"That would be nice. I'd appreciate being able to sleep soundly through the night without you waking me up."

"So cruel..."

"But you love it."

"Naturally. I just wish-"

"Shh. Don't talk about the end. Not yet."

"...Alright, that's fair. May I ask if you have another plan to somehow bring Wright and Maya together? You seem to be better at this romantic encouragement than I am!"

"Don't sound so surprised. And I do have a plan. We can talk about that tomorrow."

"As you wish. In that case, let's just..."

"...Mmm..."

"..."

".."

"."

* * *

 **To be continued next weekend...**


	17. Dare or Dare Reprise

**And here we are, wrapping things up! This chapter is dedicated to Boo2020, a talented Phaya fan who has been supporting this fic since the beginning. Thank you, and also everyone else reading this! This is more or less the end, but I plan on posting a more conclusive ending + epilogue next weekend.**

* * *

It was late when they returned that night; as the Legal Convention continued, the last sessions let out later and later, until it was almost midnight by the time they finally returned to the hotel. That didn't stop our favorite pairing of prosecutors from planning a late night (or early morning) activity. Maya shook her head as Franziska dragged her toward the room. "When are we going to stop playing games?"

"As soon as you stop playing games with your relationship!" the German woman snapped, "Honestly, we both know that Wright is denser than osmium when it comes to women, and yet you foolishly hesitate to toss that foolish fool a bone!"

"Maybe I have a good reason to, okay?" Maya crossed her arms. "Confessing now could cause all sorts of problems. For example, have you and Edgeworth worked out exactly what's going to happen your relationship when you leave the country tomorrow? When your gone for what could be months on end?"

Franziska scowled. "That's completely irrelevant."

"It's not, though!" she insisted, "I'm going through the same thing: I need to go back to Kurain, and being with Nick would just complicate things."

"Why do you need to go back there? You already have a job with Wright, you could just stay with him and forget about your spirit nonsense!"

This time, Maya was the one to scowl, uncharacteristic for her cheery personality. "Well then, Ms. Know-It-All, why don't you put your money where your mouth is and do the same? You could easily quit working with Interpol, and stay with Edgeworth, who unlike Nick to me, is actually your boyfriend, and you could be together as long as you want!"

The prosecutor pursed her lips, giving a concerned look. "It's different. That would mean that we… I… You see, my relationship with Miles is of a very different nature than yours with Wright. If I were to suddenly quit my job and hurl myself on his doorstep like a needy puppy, than I have no guarantee that he wouldn't… he might-"

"Franziska von Karma!" Maya gaped, "Are you saying that you doubt Edgeworth would _want_ you to stay with him!? That he would rather have you employed and miles away than by his side? Good God, the man _loves_ you, we've been over this!"

"I... I...You don't know that for certain."

At that moment, the spirit medium felt like strangling her companion. "OF COURSE he feels like that! That's what it means when he says 'I love you'! Please, have some faith in the man!"

Franziska gave a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Maya. It's just difficult, when I've been trained not to trust people, not to feel emotion, for so long. I love him, though, I really do. I want to believe that he feels the same way about me, it's just not that easy."

Suddenly sympathetic, the medium nodded slowly. "Come on, let's go. The guys are probably waiting for us." The two women stalked down the hallway silently, entering the hotel room to face their two lovers. Apparently, they had gotten in a dispute about whether or not Wright would play.

The defense attorney was resisting, arms crossed. "What, is Franziska really that eager to see me get punched in the face again?!"

"Wright," his friend scowled, "I've made her promise to refrain from causing players bodily harm, this time."

Maya took a seat, sighing, "If he wants to sit out, let him sit out, okay? He's been playing along with everyone's plans this entire week; we should give him some slack."

"Thank you, Maya!" he exclaimed.

She flashed him a grin, turning back to her opponents. "So, I guess it's just the three of us, then? Or will you two lovebirds be playing as a team?"

Franziska sneered, "Of course we aren't-"

"Why not?" Edgeworth cut in. When met with an icy glare from his lover, he explained, "We'll give a dare _specifically to Maya_ , and then you can give one to either of us."

Seeming to understand, Franziska agreed. Although somewhat reluctant, Maya nodded as well, then took up a pen and paper. Upon contemplating her options, she scribbled down a response and tossed it at Edgeworth. "Here, for you. Well, technically it's for both of you, but only he needs to read it."

The man skimmed through the dare, barely raising an eyebrow, offering a mere "Hmph." Then, with a pause, he responded, "Franziska, may I speak with you for a moment? Alone?"

She shot a death glare at Maya, before offering, "Certainly." The duo rose, as Edgeworth lead her out into the hallway. Once there, he closed the door, steadily faced her, then dropped to one knee, taking up her hand. Speechless, Franziska let a hand flutter to her chest. Their eyes met, as he gave her a simple, one-word demand, nay, a request, a plea for his own sake: "Stay."

"Pardon?"

"Stay with me, Franziska." His tone was so genuine, it caught her off-guard. With a concerned grin, he clarified, "And in case you were wondering, this wasn't a dare. Nobody's forcing me to do this." He offered her the slip of paper, which simply read 'tell Franziska you love her'. "I thought this would be a good opportunity to talk things out with you, regardless."

Then, he took a deep breath, lowering his gaze to the floor. "I know I can't make you do anything. You're a strong, independent woman with a successful career overseas, and frankly, I'm probably not enough of an incentive for you to stay. But please, consider..."

"Miles Edgeworth," she called, her tone low, "stand up and have some dignity. You're a fool to beg like this, and in the middle of a hotel hallway, no less."

Hesitantly, he stood, offering, "Forgive me, you know I'm terrible at expressing emotion," and almost instantly he felt her lips crashing onto his. He almost fell back down, but managed to regain his balance, holding her in his arms once more.

"Yes," she breathed, finally releasing, "Yes, fool, I'll stay with you for as long as you want. All you had to do was ask. I love you." She buried her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around his middle.

"Franziska," he grinned, "What the bloody hell did I do to deserve you?"

"Everything," she muttered, before grabbing his hand. "But I can go into more detail about all the reasons I love you later. As for now, we have some fools to fix."

"Naturally," Edgeworth smirked, "How's this for our dare?"

* * *

"WHAT!?" Maya glanced from the hastily written sheet of paper up to the pair of prosecutors. "No! I can't!"

"And why not?" Edgeworth chuckled. "It's a perfectly feasible dare, and besides, it'll benefit us all in the long run."

An oblivious Phoenix chimed in, "What, does she need to buy room service for everyone, now?" Everyone ignored him.

Maya shook her head, her pleading eyes begging Franziska to intervene, but she simply smirked, "Whatever happened to 'a dare's a dare'? Were you not willing to act radically on the first day here? If so, what's different now?"

"Now, it's…" Maya turned to him and gulped in defeat. "I'm sorry, Nick…"

"Oh God," he replied, preparing for the worst. "I'm not even playing!"

"Just, close your eyes," she urged, then took up his face in her hands. Brushing a few stray bangs aside, she leaned in, and muttered, "I love you, Nick."

With that, their lips met in a strong, passionate kiss. A surprised Phoenix shot open his eyes, before pulling Maya in closer and slowly closing them again. The two remained in lip lock for another few minutes, as the nearly crumpled the last dare, which lay on the ground beside them: kiss the fool Phoenix Wright.

As the couple showed no signs of stopping, Edgeworth jokingly intervened with, "Get a room!"

"We TRIED to!" Phoenix responded with a laugh. "But I guess in the end, it was better that we shared with you guys." He turned to the woman beside him, clarifying, "So, does this mean you like me, Maya?"

"Duh!" she laughed, "Even after I said 'I love you' and kissed you, you STILL don't get it!? Man, you're denser than I gave you credit for, Nick!"

"Sorry!" he mouthed, scratching the back of his neck. "I just wanted to make sure. See, I've liked you for a while, and usually when I fall in love, it turns into something bad, in some cases, very, very bad. So I doubted that my feelings were requited. Plus, I wasn't sure you'd be interested in an Old Man like me..."

Maya rolled her eyes. "I was only joking when I called you that, Nick, _joking_! Like I assume you were joking when you called me a little girl?"

"Of course!" He gave a strange look. "Do you really think I'd consider a twenty-year-old a child?"

Edgeworth shook his head, "And yet you'd think someone'd call a twenty-seven-year-old an elder."

"True," Franziska reaffirmed. Phoenix shot them both a nobody-asked-you glare.

Maya sighed, or perhaps yawned, "What now?"

"Now, it's just shy of one am," Edgeworth announced. "I say we get some sleep."

"Fine by me," Phoenix stretched. "Oh, and Maya? Feel free to wear your Steel Samurai pajamas. They're adorable, just like you."

She blushed, "Sure thing! I guess that means Franziska will need to wear her own clothes."

Feigning dismay, Edgeworth groaned, "That's a shame. She really did look amazing in them..."

Phoenix snickered, "Wow, Edgeworth's into some interesting stuff."

"Fool," Franziska snarled, hand raised, "I _will_ slap you!"

He stepped away, "Noted, I take it back."

The German turned back to her lover, musing, "I trust you have no objections to my usual nightwear, Herr Edgeworth?"

"Certainly not," he taunted, stealing a kiss.

Phoenix did the same. "I love you, Maya. Sorry for taking so long to tell you that."

"Better late than never, right?" she grinned, pulling him in for a hug. "I'm just glad that it all worked out."

And so it was, that by the sixth and final night, the four roommates had all declared their love. Surprisingly enough, they all had someone else declare love to them, as well.

Surely, that must have been fate.

* * *

 **Wow... I'm afraid that I just accidentally had Fredgeworth invade what was supposed to be a predominantly Phaya chapter... such is the danger, in having two OTP's, I suppose. Whelp, I tried. That tends to be a theme for this fic. Anyways, come back next week for the finale!**


	18. Night 6

The final night passed uneventfully, with sweet silence enveloping the two couples.

For the first time in years, Miles Edgeworth and Franziska von Karma slept through the night, knowing they would stay together, with no nightmares daring to wake them.

Maya Fey was more comfortable than she'd ever been, wearing the cartoon flannels she loved, curled up on the chest of snoring Phoenix Wright, a man whom she loved more.

Then, all at once,

everything was

peaceful.


	19. A Fond Farewell

**And with that, we've come to the end! *sniffle* I'll miss working on this! For an almost final time, I'll thank you all for reading, and hope enjoy the last two chapters!**

* * *

"Nick." Maya bounced on the bed, shaking her sleeping lover.

Phoenix snored, unmoved.

"Nick, wake up," she insisted, looking worriedly at the clock. "We're gonna miss the bus home if you don't get up soon."

"Hmmm."

"NICK!"

The ace attorney opened his eyes at last, only to stare up lovingly at his new girlfriend. "Maya..."

"Don't 'Maya' me!" she whined, "We're gonna be late! It's already 9:20!"

Phoenix ran a hand through his spikes. "We can always take a later bus."

The medium sighed, "I suppose that's true." She went to lay back down on her lover's stomach, but he sat up first, such that her head was rested on his chest.

He ruffled her hair playfully. "Any reason your in such a big hurry to get home, Maya?"

She pouted, "I was hoping that if we got back soon enough, I could guilt you into buying us burgers before my train."

Laughing, he kissed her gently. "We'll see. I might just have to agree to that plan."

"Nick," she muttered, hugging him, "I love you so much."

"Someone's easy to please," he grinned. "I feel the same way, though." With a kiss, he finished, "Even if that fact depletes my wallet, I love you."

"Visit me often in Kurain, okay?" Maya smiled, tugging him out of bed. "Don't be a stranger."

"Of course not," he deemed, "As I said before, I'll always be there for you, Maya. Now let's hurry to get ready; those burgers aren't gonna eat themselves!"

With that, the two skipped off to prepare themselves. By the time they'd finished, the pair of prosecutors were already dressed, packed, and ready to leave. At long last, it was time to say goodbye.

"Well, I suppose this is it then."

"Bye, Franziska!" Maya suddenly called, running up to her and spreading her arms wide for a hug. Franziska blinked awkwardly, before carefully leaning in and wrapping her arms around the other woman.

"Goodbye, Maya Fey." The prosecuting prodigy paused, before finishing, "I'll miss you."

"AWWW!" Maya gushed, "I'll miss you, too! Who knew you were such a big softie behind that scowl?"

The prosecutor quickly pushed her back, correcting, "I'm NOT a softie. Don't EVER suggest that, lest I feel inclined get my whip out of my suitcase." With that she offered Phoenix a sharp nod. "Farewell, Mr. Phoenix Wright. Perhaps I will see you soon, considering I will be staying in the country. Perhaps not."

Nodding back, the attorney smiled. "We'll see. I'm glad things turned out with you and Edgeworth."

Franziska countered, "The same with you and Maya."

Grinning, Edgeworth turned to Phoenix and extended a hand. "I trust I'll be seeing you in court soon enough, Wright."

"Hopefully not," the defense attorney joked, going in for a firm handshake that ended up as a hug.

Immediately after pulling away, Edgeworth was tackled by Maya, who flung her arms around him and shouted, "Bye! Take it easy on Nick in court for me, okay? He'll be pretty much helpless without me by his side."

"Hey, who are you calling helpless?" Phoenix laughed, wrapping an arm around his lover to kiss the top of her head. "I _did_ get you cleared of murder charges... how many times now?"

"Too many," Maya agreed, now turning to look at all her friends with a smile. Then, she raised her right hand, declaring, "Now, we all have to swear."

"Swear what?" Edgeworth questioned.

"That we'll all come back here one day, and share a hotel room again. No matter how long it takes."

The three attorneys exchanged a look, before nodding in agreement and raising their hands.

"I swear."

"I'm game for that."

"Agreed."

"Excellent," she grinned, "In that case, I guess I'll see you guys soon enough."

With that vow, all four of them exited the room for the final time. The Convention was over, but their relationships and stories had only just begun. Thanks to that fateful hotel room, everyone left a changed person, all for the better.

Thus, somehow, despite the several threats of lawsuits a week earlier, the Gatewater Hotel across from the convention center stayed in place; at least, for another ten years...


	20. Return of the Roommates

"Absolutely not."

"This is completely absurd! You can't NOT have a room that the four of us could share!"

"I'm sorry, sir, ma'am, but with the convention right next door, this hotel is booked! We can't make any other accommodations."

"We should've had you fired ten years ago. Honestly, how are you still the same hotel desk clerk?"

"Promotion is hard in this business, okay!?"

For Phoenix Wright, it was a GREAT start to the 2028 California Legal Convention. He hadn't even checked into the hotel yet, and he was already having problems. Here's the story:

When Wright's bubbly fiancee, Maya Fey, returned to the States from Kingdom of Kurain, she immediately called the Edgeworth household to see when they could get together. In their conversation, Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth mentioned that he was in charge of the arrangements for that year's California Legal Convention, which he was planning to attend with his wife, Franziska. Considering Wright had recently regained his attorney's badge after years of misunderstanding, Edgeworth suggested that both couples attend. Although hesitant to leave the kids alone for a full week, Franziska agreed that it would be nice to reunite with their old friends, and thus it was settled. Maya demanded that Phoenix take her to L.A. for the week, this time purposefully booking a hotel room with two additional roommates.

Naturally, considering that they're staying at a Gatewater establishment, those arrangements were impossible.

"I am the Chief Prosecutor of this district! I am literally the one running this Legal Convention! And yet, you can't do anything for us?"

The poor employee working the front desk typed furiously into his computer, nervously glancing through all of his options. Meanwhile, Phoenix was groaning in disappointment.

"This won't work! If we aren't rooming together, how will we play Dare or Dare?"

"Or what about Never Have I Ever?" Franziska reminded, "I'm still the reigning champion, if I recall correctly."

Maya crossed her arms. "That was just because Nick and I were all flustered because of our developing relationship. What _I_ was looking forward to is watching the Samurai Spectacular together!"

There was a general murmur of approval among the attorneys: since their last hotel week together, all of them had become avid Steel Samurai fans.

"A-Ha!" the hotel employee suddenly exclaimed, "I've got it!"

The two couples turned to him expectantly, to which he explained, "So, um, I can't get you a room together, per se, but I CAN get you two conjoining rooms! That way, you can be together when you want to, but also have some privacy as couples!"

Maya wriggled her eyebrows playfully at Nick. "Hmm, that sounds nice. Would you like some 'privacy' with me, Nick?"

"Certainly," he responded, planting a kiss on her cheek.

Edgeworth shook his head disapprovingly, ordering the hotel employee, "Ignore them; what floor at the conjoining rooms on?"

"Floor twenty," the employee answered, already fetching the keys.

"And, may I ask, has the paint on the stairs from ten years ago dried yet?" he drolly asked.

The employee stopped in his tracks. "Um, yes, but they put a fresh coat of paint on this morning..."'

The Chief Prosecutor's face fell. "What?"

Maya chuckled, "I thought you said you'd miss the elevator!"

"Yes, sarcastically..."

"Miles Edgeworth," Franziska chided, "You are the Chief Prosecutor, a von Karma's husband, and a father of two. If, despite that, you are still afraid of _elevators_..."

"I know, I know," he grinned, "then I'm a foolishly foolish fool." He kissed her forehead. "I'll manage. I've done it before, and I can do it again."

Smoothly taking over the position directly in front of the desk, Phoenix jibbed, "Ignore _them_ : we'll take the conjoining rooms."

"Excellent," the employee managed forking over the room keys.

After snatching them up, our quartet of roommates made their way to the same rickety elevator. Pressing the button, they heard the familiar lurching rattle, the same sickening elevator music, and the door opened.

Stepping inside, they couldn't help but recall all the old memories made in that hotel, and anticipate all the new adventures to come.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **And that's all for my first Ace Attorney fic! What a journey... Thank you so much to all of you who supported me, especially to those of you who gave reviews, Daisysmartheart, AceAttorneyFantic, FSOA ,and JP - I love you guys to bits! So, what's in store for me next? Well, for those of you who are helplessly in love with these two ships like I am, I've written another romance fic that's quite a bit shorter, with slightly less absurdity; one that's more Phaya centric, but will definitely feature Fredgeworth because I love them. When will this new fic come, absolutely no one asks? I'll answer anyway: the first chapter'll be up tomorrow.**

 **I hope to see you on that fic, and if not, thank you eternally for reading this one! I am truly thrilled that you saw it through until the end!**

 **\- Sebastian0001**


End file.
